‘Save Bayonne Hospital’ Petition Reaches 1,800 Signatures; Volunteers Will Take Fight Door to Door this Weekend

BAYONNE, N.J. — In the weeks since Mayor Jimmy Davis sounded the alarm about the pending healthcare crisis in Bayonne with the possible closing of Bayonne Medical Center, over 1,800 people have signed an online petition started by the Mayor demanding that the hospital remain open to serve the community . As residents continue to sign the online petition, volunteers will be on the streets and knocking on doors this weekend to garner more support to keep a full service hospital open in Bayonne.

“We as a city are doing everything within our power to ensure Bayonne residents will continue to have direct access to an acute care facility,” said Mayor Jimmy Davis. “We have already brought this fight to Trenton and we are making it clear we will not be silent when our safety and wellbeing are at risk. But now, I’m asking for all of Bayonne to come together to save our hospital because we are stronger together and cannot do this alone.”

Last month, Mayor Davis announced he learned the hospital’s current operator, CarePoint Health, was looking to sell the facility. This plan could include shutting down or utilizing the hospital for other purposes. Since then, local officials have been working tirelessly to prevent this healthcare crisis. Mayor Davis, Senator Sandra B. Cunningham, and Assemblymembers Nicholas A. Chiaravalloti and Angela V. McKnight met with State Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli to express their concerns about the looming sale. Last week, the City Council gave initial approval to create a Municipal Hospital Authority, which could allow the city to temporarily take control of Bayonne Medical Center’s state charter in the event that a buyer for the facility cannot immediately be found.

####