Vice President Harris Talks Maternal Health, Prioritizing Inequities For Black Mothers

By Donna M. Owens ·Updated April 15, 2022

Vice President Kamala Harris has a full portfolio but among the critical issues she’s passionate about is that of maternal health care. On Thursday, VPOTUS invited ESSENCE to participate in an exclusive media call. 

The conversation comes amid the 5th anniversary of Black Maternal Health Week, founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Observed annually from April 11-17, the education and advocacy campaign was first officially recognized in 2021 by the White House. President Joe Biden issued a new proclamation this year, and in the next national budget, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing that approximately a half a billion dollars go towards reducing maternal mortality and morbidity rates. There is also funding in the proposed budget that would go to the implementation of implicit bias training for healthcare providers, and more.

During Black Maternal Health Week, we renew our commitment to addressing the crisis of Black maternal mortality and morbidity across the country.Read the @POTUS’ Proclamation marking #BlackMaternalHealthWeek! https://t.co/O1Itn4a05J

— White House Gender Policy Council (@WhiteHouseGPC) April 11, 2022

Harris started by addressing how honored she was to convene the Cabinet on the issue of maternal health and maternal

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