Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel:

"Today is a great day for the owners, managing directors and employees of our St. Elisabeth Hospital in Salzgitter-Bad. But today is also a great day for the citizens of Salzgitter, especially of course for the citizens of Salzgitter-Bad and the surrounding area.

I would like to thank the Lower Saxony state government and the Lower Saxony state parliament for increasing the previous funding of € 24.5 million by € 10.9 million to € 35.4 million in order to help cushion the cost increases of the new hospital building for which the St. Elisabeth Hospital is not responsible. A very strong, but also necessary signal for the hospital operator and our city of Salzgitter! And this in very difficult times, in which the hospital landscape is undergoing major changes.

I would particularly like to thank the Managing Director, Mr. Blume, and the Vinzenz-Verbund as the hospital operator for their courageous decision to tackle and finally implement this project despite difficult conditions and some headwinds. I can still remember my many supportive, very intensive discussions with the health ministers and all representatives of the hospital planning committee of the state of Lower Saxony over the last 18 years, in which I was able to help convince the funding body of the necessity and usefulness of this new hospital building in Salzgitter-Bad. That is why I, along with many others involved, am proud of this flagship project today!

This shows that a united front and real perseverance on the part of the managing director, hospital operator, mayor, council, members of the state parliament such as Marcus Bosse, Stefan Klein and Dirk Toepffer, the Ministry of Health and all those involved in the hospital planning committee of the state of Lower Saxony, especially my counterpart from the Lower Saxony Association of Cities and Towns, will be crowned with success in the end. What takes a long time will finally be good! I am overjoyed!"

Mr. Blume (Managing Director of St. Elisabeth Hospital):

"The multi-crises of the past and present are not without consequences for hospitals either. The cost increases in personnel, combined with increases in material and energy costs and the changes in revenue due to the outpatientization of former inpatient hospital treatments can hardly be compensated for economically. That is why the additional financial support for our new building from the state of Lower Saxony is also an appreciative recognition of our work here on site, emphasizes Lutz Blume, Managing Director of St. Elisabeth Hospital. A strong signal that the state government of Lower Saxony stands behind our small hospital despite the far-reaching reform of hospital treatment, says Blume. In addition to competent doctors, nurses and therapists, the ultra-modern medical and building technology and comfortable, barrier-free facilities in the patient rooms are essential guarantees that our hospital here in the south of Salzgitter will be able to face the future with confidence."

Dr. Abuhamad (Medical Director of the St-Elisabeth Hospital):

"We are looking forward to the new construction of our hospital and the associated improvement in technical infrastructure. Our medical concepts will be supported even more strongly with digital and modern medical technology. This will enable us to treat our patients at the highest level. I am personally delighted, especially as a citizen of Salzgitter, about the financial support from the state government of Lower Saxony," said Abuhamad. This ensures effective hospital treatment with state-of-the-art equipment in the central emergency room, operating theaters, endoscopy, cardiac catheterization laboratory and patient rooms."

Ms. Jelen-Deiseroth (Head of Nursing at St. Elisabeth Hospital):

"I am particularly looking forward to the new building for our dedicated nursing and medical treatment teams. The recognition of our work through the additional financial support from the state government of Lower Saxony is fantastic and should not be taken for granted. This year alone, we are training 33 young people in nursing and related healthcare professions such as MFA, OTA and ATA, says Jelen-Deiseroth with pride. Being able to offer young people a sustainable, modern, secure and meaningful job is important to us and, in these times of crisis, of central importance for young people from our region. Of course, all patients in our region will benefit equally and without restriction from the significant improvement in the hospital infrastructure."