Protesters with Put People First (PPF) Pennsylvania rallied outside Crozer-Chester Medical Center on Monday (Sept. 8), demanding the shuttered hospital be returned to public control. The demonstration was part of a nationwide day of action in response to Prospect Medical Holdings’ closure of hospitals across the country. The rally began at 10 a.m., with participants chanting, “Shame,” as cars drove by blowing horns in support. A smaller group briefly occupied the interior of the abandoned hospital and was arrested, underscoring the activists’ commitment to drawing attention to the growing healthcare crisis in Delaware County.
“Put People First is a statewide org(anization)—this is our Southeast PA committee. It’s part of a weekend of actions across the state mainly at sites where hospitals have closed,” said Heather Schumacher, one of the organizers. “It’s to bring awareness about the urgency of this. We’ve worked with the governor’s office, we attend County Council meetings; it’s part of a larger effort to bring urgency. There’s awareness among leaders, but they are lacking the sense of urgency.”
Schumacher said the action was meant to combine personal testimony with policy demands.
“It’s an opportunity to occupy the space for a period of time, invite others to share their story,” she said. “It’s data and numbers, but also people and their lives. We are attempting to work with the governor’s office to use eminent domain to reopen the hospital and return it to county control.”…