Aontú Newry and Armagh representative Róisín Mulgrew has launched a petition calling for births and inpatient maternity services to be protected at Daisy Hill Hospital.
Mulgrew said:
“Generations of families across Newry, south Armagh and south Down have started their story at Daisy Hill. We want future generations to be able to say these simple words too: ‘I was born in Newry.’
“The proposed temporary suspension of births and inpatient maternity care cannot be allowed to quietly become permanent. We need urgent action to address the staffing shortages, protect maternity services at Daisy Hill and give local mothers confidence that safe maternity care will remain available close to home.
“Last year alone, 1,713 babies were born at Daisy Hill. Moving those births elsewhere does not make the need disappear – it simply moves the pressure to another hospital and asks women and families to travel further.
“We have launched this petition to give people across Newry, south Armagh, south Down and beyond the opportunity to make their voices heard.
“Daisy Hill has already lost too much. We will not stand by and watch maternity become the next service stripped from our hospital.
“I would encourage everyone who values our hospital to sign the petition, share it with their family and friends, and send a clear message: temporary must not become permanent.”
You can sign the petition at https://aontu.ie/save-daisy-hill-maternity-dont-let-temporary-become-forever/
ENDS