Workers and community fight Providence Hospital closing

Providence Hospital in Northeast D.C. must remain open as a fully functioning hospital with acute-care services, say registered nurses, doctors, social justice advocates, hospital workers and faith-based community members. “My surgical unit is full of people from our community who need immediate care,” says Rose Farhoudi, a registered nurse at Providence and a member of National Nurses United. “Where will these people go? We already know the emergency room waits in D.C. are too long. With only one other acute-care hospital on the east side of D.C., we cannot afford to lose any more medical services.” “Closing Providence will hurt our most vulnerable,” said Reverend Graylan Scott Hagler of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ. “The poor, the elderly, those most in need will be forced to live with their diseases. They will have to die untreated, that is what we have to fight against. We need everyone in D.C. to demand Providence remain open because when we come together we can prevail.” Tune in at 1 o’clock on WPFW for an expanded edition of Union City Radio’s “Your Rights At Work,” focusing on the threat to Providence Hospital. And tonight, a diverse group of community members from around D.C. will gather to strategize and coordinate efforts to keep Providence Hospital open(see Calendar). photo: August 30 rally at Providence; photo by Chris Garlock

---