Meeting planned on maternal health care cuts in DC

WASHINGTON - District leaders and nurses are raising concerns following the summer closure of a postpartum unit at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, the city’s largest private, nonprofit hospital. A public forum on the issue is scheduled for Wednesday night.

FOX 5’s Stephanie Ramirez reports that several union nurses protested earlier this summer over the July 26 closure of postpartum unit 5F, a move that eliminated 11 maternal health beds. At the time, the hospital said its commitment to the community has not changed and noted that 18 postpartum beds would remain available.

Nurses with National Nurses United say conditions have worsened since the closure. They report more patients being told to seek care elsewhere and describe postpartum patients being placed in areas intended for mothers arriving in labor because of a lack of available beds.

Democratic nominee for D.C. mayor Janeese Lewis George says the issue is especially urgent in the District, where women of color already face significant health disparities.

In a press release, she noted that "nearly all of the DC residents who die during pregnancy or childbirth are Black."

Lewis George and unions representing nurses and physicians plan to meet Wednesday night to discuss the postpartum unit closure and other concerns, including staffing cuts at another regional health provider.

The forum is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at The People’s Church on 13th Street NW. MedStar has been contacted for comment.

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