The Andreas Clinic should remain as it is

The interest group "IG Wahlfreiheit Kanton Zug" has handed over the "No to the dismantling of basic and emergency care in the Andreas Clinic!" petition, with 5,021 signatures, to the Zug State Chancellery.

The Health Directorate (Gesundheitsdirektion) of the Canton of Zug plans to withdraw the contract for basic and emergency health care from the Hirslanden Andreas Clinic in Cham from 2023.

IG Wahlfreiheit Zug (interest group for freedom of choice in Zug) is committed to ensuring that the Andreas Clinic is allowed to retain its mission in primary and emergency health care on the new hospital list for the canton. It thereby wants to maintain the high level of health care in the canton of Zug. And many Zug residents see it the same way: "This is proven by the more than 5,000 signatures and over 1,400 comments that have come together in a few weeks as part of the petition," it says in a message. The tenor was unanimous:

"The Andreas Klinik should remain as it is."

View of the emergency department of the Andreas Clinic in Cham             
The initiators handover the petition on 9 November 2022 in front of the Zug State Chancellery.                    Photos: PD

Josef Huwiler, Co-President of the IG, says:

"We are overwhelmed by the support from the population. It is a clear signal to the government to do the right thing here and to reconsider the draft hospital list."

Cantonal Councillor (Kantonsrat) and IG Co-President Jean Luc Mösch is also happy about this support: "In recent weeks, we have had countless discussions with those directly affected who simply cannot understand the government's actions and are concerned that health care in the canton of Zug will suffer greatly in the future. It is important that we were able to make these voices heard with the petition. Now we hope that the government will listen to our concerns."

IG Wahlfreiheit Zug is considering further steps
The IG Wahlfreiheit Zug has prominent support from politics and the population. SVP (Swiss People’s party) cantonal councillor Brigitte Wenzin Widmer (Cham), SVP cantonal councillor Adrian Risi (Zug) as well as FDP (Liberal Democrat party) cantonal councillor Jill Nussbaumer (Cham) and former municipal president Barbara Hofstetter (Die Mitte Steinhausen) are committed to the preservation of the Andreas Clinic as a basic and emergency care provider.

They want to pursue a policy that is independent of political parties in order to allow the people of Zug to continue to have the freedom to choose where they want to be treated in the future. IG Wahlfreiheit Kanton Zug now hopes that the petition will be taken into account in the government's decision-making process and will consider further steps, depending on the outcome, according to the statement.