President Ginther, Community Leaders Announce Next Steps to Reduce Infant Mortality
For Immediate Release
November 12, 2014
For More Information:
John Ivanic, City Council, 645-6798
Columbus City Council
President Andrew J. Ginther joined public health experts and leaders from the
Near South Side, Near East Side, and South Linden to announce the Celebrate One initiative and the next steps in
a communitywide effort to reduce infant mortality in Columbus.
The Near South Side, Near
East Side, and South Linden will help pilot the implementation of the Greater
Columbus Infant Mortality Task Force’s recommendations to reduce infant mortality in communities throughout
Columbus. Successful initiatives in these neighborhoods will guide efforts in
the Hilltop, Franklinton, Northeast and Southeast Columbus, and the Northland area
around Morse Road and Route 161.
“Columbus’ unacceptably high infant mortality rate is a
public health crisis that threatens our quality of life and affronts our most
deeply held values,” said Council President Ginther. “We will work with
residents of South Linden and the Near East and Near South Sides to develop
solutions that meet the unique needs of their neighborhoods, and then we will
apply what we’ve learned to other neighborhoods that have been particularly
hard hit by this crisis.”
Last year in Franklin County,
nearly 150 babies died before reaching the age of one, with black babies more
than twice as likely as white babies to die before their first birthday. Approximately
one-quarter of all infant deaths in Central Ohio occurred in South Linden, the
Near East Side, and the Near South Side.
Council President Ginther
formed the Greater Columbus Infant Mortality Task Force in November 2013 and
asked its members to develop a plan to reduce Central Ohio’s infant mortality
rate by 40 percent and cut the rate of racial disparity in infant deaths in
half.
The task force found that
Columbus must do a better job improving women’s health before they become
pregnant, ensuring high standards of quality perinatal care for new and
expecting mothers, and addressing the social and economic factors that drive
poor birth outcomes and health disparities in high-risk neighborhoods.
While specific initiatives
and programs will vary by neighborhood, they could include helping women and
families enroll in health insurance, promoting safe sleep for infants, linking
women to prenatal care, and encouraging smoking cessation, particularly among
pregnant women.
“Other cities have successfully reduced their infant
mortality rates by developing comprehensive, neighborhood-driven strategies to
address this complex issue,” said Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr.
Teresa Long. “We can and will do the same in Columbus by focusing not only on
access to healthcare, but also on issues like jobs, education, housing, and
neighborhood safety.”
In January the task force will host a workshop for
leaders, residents, and other stakeholders to begin developing neighborhood
solutions for our community’s infant mortality crisis.
-30-