GOSHEN – Orange County Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman has announced a film screening and panel discussion of “Death by Delivery” on Thursday, February 27th, 2020 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, located at 58 West Main Street in Middletown.
“This important film examines the disparate health outcomes that black mothers experience and I am grateful to Commissioner Gelman and her team for bringing this issue to the forefront,” Gelman said. “Promoting the health of women, infants and children continues to be a public health priority for the Orange County Department of Health. In fact, maternal and infant health data are widely used indicators of the overall health of a community.”
The NYS Department of Health reports significant outcome disparities among black women giving birth in Orange County, with black babies more likely to be born prematurely than white babies, at 13.8 percent vs 7.4 percent. It is important to note that prenatal care, gestational age, and birth weight are strong indicators of both maternal and infant health.
The Orange County Department of Health will be co-sponsoring “Death by Delivery” with the Orange County Human Rights Commission, the Maternal Infant Services Network and Planned Parenthood Greater New York.
“It is imperative that we shine light to the health disparities and biases that exist in our community, and that we continue to work together to support the efforts of those who are working hard to eradicate them,” added Orange County Human Rights Executive Director Inaudy Esposito.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion facilitated by local professionals. For additional information, please call the OCDOH at 845-360-6680.
