On December 13th 2017, the board of Washington DC Hospital, United Medical Center decided to close its nursery and delivery rooms.
According to reports, the majority of patients that visits this hospital are African American women. This now leaves fewer maternal health options for the women of Southeast Washington DC.
According to the Washington Post, officials shut down United Medical Center’s obstetrics ward after finding “serious medical errors in the treatment of pregnant women and newborns.” United Medical Center has been closed since early August, but many in the community had said they wanted to see the ward reopen.
LaRuby May the chairwoman of the United Medical Center board, said that the hospital decided to shut down the obstetrics ward because of financial and safety concerns. She explained to the Post that, “Mothers had already decided that we’re not the place where they want to be.”
While some patients chose to seeks mental attention somewhere else; there is still a great number of women that will be affected by the closing of UMC in the Southeast section of Washington DC.
Photo Courtesy of the Washington Post