D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser held District’s first-ever Maternal and Infant Health Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on maternal and infant health on Wednesday.
Nearly 1,000 people gathered for the event, including politicians, health providers, and community workers. Participants discussed best practices to improve health outcomes for women and children.
Without giving out specific action plans, the mayor said the summit was “an opportunity to connect interested parties, improve communication about available services and identify areas of improvement.”
Thank you for participating in yesterday's Maternal and Infant Health Summit! Let's continue working to ensure women have an equal opportunity to access health care and achieve well-being before, during, and after child birth —regardless of background, zip code, or income. ❤️👶 pic.twitter.com/cEatsLNsil
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) September 13, 2018
The event featured panel discussions and a luncheon focused on best infant and maternal health practices for developing a nation-wide agenda that addresses the disproportionally high rates of maternal mortality experienced by people of color in Washington, DC and across the nation.
“We don’t have all of the answers,” said Bowser, who adopted a daughter earlier this year. “There’s a lot of things that are contributing to our less than optimal outcomes and we can’t continue to only do the things we’ve done in the past.”
With a population of about 700,000, D.C. has the eighth highest maternal death rate among the states, according to the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compiled by the D.C. Department of Health.
WIC is a program that provides nutrition counseling and education, breastfeeding resources and support nutrient-rich foods and more! Follow @_DCHealth to learn more about this great program! https://t.co/pIyG0Maclg pic.twitter.com/PfrDdkm6Ed
— Mom Health DC (@MomHealthDC) September 14, 2018