A bus full of Groningen and Drenthe residents departed from Hoogeveen on Wednesday morning for The Hague to attend a debate in the Dutch parliament about small hospitals.
Translation by Traci White
Locals citizens and politicians alike were on board, including Hoogeveen alderperson Erwin Slomp, municipal council members from Hoogeveen and De Wolden, and a delegation from Stadskanaal.
Dagblad van het Noorden reports that residents are concerned about the closure of the obstetrics departments at Treant hospitals in Hoogeveen and Stadskanaal.
Obstetrics and paediatrics
Treant healthcare group is planning to relocate the obstetrics and paediatrics departments at the Bethesda hospital in Hoogeveen and Refaja hospital in Stadskanaal to the Scheper hospital in Emmen. If the departments close, it will not be possible for women to give birth at the hospitals in Stadskanaal and Hoogeveen.
Jutta van den Oord, a member of the Socialist Party in Hoogeveen, is also travelling to The Hague and says that the group anticipates a spirited debate. “I think that our presence there will give the discussions a sense of urgency.”
Edwin Slomp told the Dagblad that he hopes that the plans will ultimately be reversed. “But in order for that to happen, there has to be pressure from all sides.”