Closure of the maternity ward at Kohlhof in Neunkirchen: St. Wendel and an opportunistic Minister Magnus Jung

Do we remember International Midwives' Day 2025? Back then, Minister Magnus Jung had warm words for obstetrics. But the current reality looks different: the same minister is now pushing plans to close the delivery room and the children's clinic at Marienhaus Klinikum Kohlhof in Neunkirchen and relocate them to St. Wendel.

This is a political paradox. As recently as 2024, the obstetrics department in St. Wendel was closed due to staff shortages and moved to Kohlhof. Now, the whole thing is to be reversed again against the will of the specialists and the clinic management. While the team at Kohlhof is fighting for the location with the message "We are here!", the state government is ignoring the security of care in the Saarpfalz district.

Anyone who sacrifices a functioning anchor point for families just to shift structures on paper is acting irresponsibly. In obstetrics, minutes and well-rehearsed teams count, not theoretical drawing-board planning. If politicians continue like this, little will remain of the promise of "Good Birth" in the region. It is time that the resistance of the midwives and the affected communities is finally heard, instead of cutting well-established departments in the name of questionable centralization.

We have also produced a current film with a midwife for our social media channels. Now you know what it's all about!