Black infants are three times more likely to die than white infants and have a 60% more chance being born premature. Black mothers are three times more likely to die due to pregnancy or delivery complication that white mothers. The County of San Diego and Human Services Agency Perinatal Equity Initiative launched the Black Legacy Now campaign to address these racial inequities at a press conference on Jan. 28.
County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher said two years ago, the governor authorized statewide funding for perinatal equity initiatives. He said the Health & Human Services Agency’s staff and members of the community have worked diligently for years to close the gap of perinatal health inequities in the Black community. He said the task in front now is to pick up that work an insinuate it with more focus, resources and support.
“Black Legacy Now is a bold, proactive initiative to make sure that Black infants, mothers and families are prioritized and that there are long term initiatives to lift them up and ensure their access to equitable healthcare and opportunity to live healthy lives,” said Fletcher. “We have to work together to overcome decades of systemic racism to build a legacy of opportunity and access as generations move forth. It is vitally imperative that we must intentionally work to put into place systems and policies to build anti-racism. Equality of access means that every child, every community and every area have an equal shot at a healthy and thriving life and we do not have that today.”
