NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhall received $11M in funding from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso for the creation of a state-of-the-art OB stimulation lab, expansion and modernization of operating rooms for cesarean births, renovation of six private labor and birthing rooms, an upgrade of the triage and ante-partum rooms, and improvements to the nurse’s station and post anesthesia care unit.
Reynoso is fulfilling a primary campaign promise: to allocate all of his FY23 capital funds ($45M) across the three public hospitals in Brooklyn to help improve maternal healthcare services. These improvements aim to reduce disparities in maternal mortality rates found between Black pregnant people and their White counterparts.
“Regardless of intention or passion, one person can’t enact long-lasting solutions without the support of a small army that’s just as passionate and has the expertise to see those impactful changes through. I found a true partner in my fight against maternal mortality inequities in our city’s public health system,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m confident that within four years, the conversation around maternal mortality in Brooklyn will be vastly different thanks to this allocation and the tireless work being done by our public health system.”
The American Journal of Managed Care (AMJC) reported in June 2020, non-Hispanic Black women are more than 3 times more likely to have a maternal death than White women in the United States, according to a review presented at a session of the American Diabetes Association’s 80th Scientific Sessions. “Levels of stress, trauma, food insecurity, neighborhood violence, and access to prenatal care are all factors that may contribute to the disparities and warrant further investigation,” the article stated.
“On behalf of Woodhull Hospital and the community, I extend our thanks and appreciation to Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso for the generous support of $11 million to fund the expansion and improvement of our birthing center. The renovation of our birthing center will allow us to enlarge and modernize the labor and delivery operating rooms to provide a safer and more fulfilling experience for the mother, child, and their families,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull CEO Gregory Calliste.
In addition to Reynoso’s capital allocation, NYC Council Members Chi Ossé and Jennifer Gutierrez, with the support of Speaker Adrienne Adams, allocated $1,776,00 and $500,000 respectively for additional upgrades to medical equipment at this hospital.
“I recently gave birth at Woodhull, so I know firsthand how much their patients, midwives, nurses, and doctors will benefit from this important investment. They are so deserving of this allocation. I want to thank BP Reynoso for his commitment to funding our public hospitals and congratulate Woodhull for their advocacy in bringing this necessary resource to North Brooklyn,” said NYC Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez.
The Greenline 