Children's Healthcare Crisis: BVKJ Warns of Imminent Disaster
The BVKJ has raised alarms about the critical state of pediatric healthcare in Germany, warning of severe staff shortages and urging immediate government action.
10.08.2026 – 01:00
Osnabrück (ots)
The Association of Pediatricians and Adolescent Physicians (BVKJ) has issued a stark warning about the dire state of healthcare for minors, urging Health Minister Carsten Linnemann to take immediate action. "The conditions are unbearable. Many wards are closing because hospitals are unable to find enough staff. The shortage in specialized care for premature infants, critically ill patients, and intensive care is already alarming," stated BVKJ spokesperson Jakob Maske in an interview with the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung". He expressed concern that without intervention, a significant crisis is imminent, saying, "I fear that there will soon be a big bang. It won't be long. Some are leaving, and others are not coming in; in the next three to four years, it will become unbearable."
Maske recalled the situation two years ago when there were no vaccines for the RS virus: "Children had to be transferred from Berlin to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg because the clinics were full, or wards couldn't open due to a lack of qualified staff. Such situations will recur; the politicians are knowingly heading towards disaster."
The spokesperson identified the shift to a generalist nursing education program implemented six and a half years ago as the primary reason for the staffing crisis. "To care for children and adolescents, one must first work with adults for two years. This deters many who want to focus solely on children. They end up becoming teachers or educators instead," explained Maske. "We know from surveys that 16- and 18-year-olds are not entering the profession because they do not want to work with adults."
The pediatrician and association spokesperson urged the new health minister to reverse the nursing reform from 2020: "If Carsten Linnemann dares to tackle this, it would be an incredibly significant achievement!" he remarked. "Returning to a pediatric and adolescent healthcare system outside of the generalist framework would attract many new professionals, I bet. However, we would need to create training capacities again. Unfortunately, the introduction of the generalist system has destroyed a lot."
