Shock for Emden: 24/7 emergency supply is abolished!

Shock for Emden: 24/7 emergency supply is abolished!

Emden, Deutschland - In a heated meeting, the City Council of Emden decided on June 20, 2025 to close the 24/7 emergency supply. Proud 25 MPs voted for the elimination, while only 7 spoke out and 4 abstained. This decision not only causes excitement in the council, but also brings a wave of protests and outrage among the citizens. Numerous demonstrators gathered in front of the town hall that protested against the closure of the emergency room of the Emden Clinic, which is connected with the opening of the new central clinic in the district of Aurich in 2029

The debate was characterized by emotional interring from the plenum and the audience. Critics accuse the Council and broken word. Based on a citizens' decision from 2019, which promised to maintain emergency care at the Emden and Aurich locations, many citizens express their disappointment. The fears are particularly worrying that longer travel routes for emergency room may cost human lives. Zerrin Mentjes, the chair of the city parent council, has therefore requested a municipal inspectorate examination to the Interior Ministry in order to question the decision of the council again.

The background of the decision

The central clinic management has made it clear that additional emergency rooms cannot be financed due to the new hospital reform. This reform, which was decided by the Bundestag on October 17, 2024, is intended to improve the quality of the hospital in Germany and reduce economic incentives for clinics. Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach described the decisive changes as overdue and necessary, even if the opposition, including the Union, AfD and Left, warns of the risks for supply in rural areas.

The new clinic in Uthwerdum will replace the existing hospitals in Emden, north and aurich. The decision to close the emergency room is therefore part of a larger plan that was initiated by the reform. This provides that clinics can receive grants in the country if they do without complicated interventions. Nevertheless, the skepticism remains whether this will be sufficient to ensure emergency care in the region.

a controversial process

The patient care is strongly focused on by these changes. Numerous citizens fear that the closure of the emergency room could sustainably damage basic medical care in the region. The interpretation of the 2019 citizens' decision is now in an ambiguous light, since the population is dependent on adequate health care. While urban politics emphasizes the need for reform, it remains unclear how it will affect the people on site.

Overall, the situation in Emden shows how sensitive the topic of health and emergency care is. With a view to the coming years, it will be crucial to observe the effects of the closure not only on the health landscape, but also on the trust of citizens in their political representation.