Brzesko: Maternity ward closed – new focus on oncology!

Brzesko: Maternity ward closed – new focus on oncology!

On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the Brzeski County Council announced that the gynecological-obstetric department in the Brzesko County Hospital will be converted into a gynecological oncology department. This decision, taken at a meeting, reflects the challenges ahead in the healthcare sector, including falling birth rates and underutilization of the maternity ward in Brzesko. The conversion resolution was passed with 14 votes for, 4 against, 1 abstention and 2 absent.

The transformation is part of a broader strategy by health authorities, deemed necessary due to the low number of births at Brzesko Hospital. In recent years, less than a third of women from Brzeski County chose to give birth in their local hospital, with many preferring the maternity ward at the nearby Bochni Hospital. According to information from Informator Brzeski, the maternity ward in Brzesko will now be closed, which is expected to further improve the birth-friendly conditions in Bochni, as this hospital is one of the ten most popular facilities for expectant mothers and approximately annually 1500 births recorded.

New specialization: Gynecological oncology

Brzeski County has entered into a contract with the National Health Fund (NFZ) to recruit specialists for the new department. These are scheduled to begin operations on July 1st. The planned operations will initially take place in the existing rooms, while two new operating rooms are being planned at the same time, which will replace the former maternity rooms.

The new field of gynecological oncology will offer comprehensive treatments in a specialized team. The head of the department will be Prof. Dr. have. med. Andrzej Bieńkiewicz, an experienced gynecologist and oncologist, supported by Dr. n. med. Maciej Berkan, a specialist in oncological surgery, and a qualified team of specialists and nurses. We also strive for close collaboration with other departments in the hospital, such as urology and surgery.

Demographic challenges and their consequences

The closure of the Brzesk maternity ward is part of a larger demographic problem in Poland, characterized by low birth rates and increasing rural depopulation. These issues are often not sufficiently discussed, even though they can have a significant impact on municipal infrastructure. Schools, kindergartens and maternity wards are disappearing, which could lead to a deterioration in living conditions in rural areas in the medium term. In these discussions, measures to support families and promote birth rates often have a one-sided negative connotation.

In addition to gynecological oncology, the new department at the Brzesko County Hospital could also offer an opportunity to improve general health care and offer patients modern treatment methods. A focus should also be placed on preventative measures, such as regular checks for the early detection of gynecological diseases, in order to promote the general health of women in Brzeski County.

The challenges in the region are complex and require a differentiated approach, especially given the urgent need to raise awareness of health issues, particularly gynecological diseases and their prevention. The new developments in Brzeski County not only represent a change in the medical care structure, but also an opportunity to proactively address demographic challenges.