Newark and Camden Selected as Merck for Mothers Safer Childbirth Cities
9.12.2019
News
On September 12, Merck for Mothers—Merck’s global initiative to end preventable deaths of women from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth—announced its Safer Childbirth Cities Initiative for nine cities across the United States. Each chosen city’s project will be led by a local partner organization fostering local solutions and helping their respective communities become safer – and more equitable – places to give birth. The Nicholson Foundation is co-funding the Safer Childbirth Cities Initiative alongside the Burke Foundation, the Community Health Funders Collaborative, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, RHIA Ventures, and others.
The Nicholson Foundation's Chief Strategy and Evaluation Officer Kim Boller with First Lady Tammy Murphy at the Merck for Mother Safer Childbirth Cities launch event.
In New Jersey, Camden and Newark were selected for city-based projects to be led by the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers and the Greater Newark Healthcare Coalition, respectively. In Camden, partnerships will focus on strengthening citywide data infrastructures to improve care coordination for pregnant and postpartum women. In Newark, projects range from training health care providers on best practices for maternity care, developing a public education campaign to increase women’s awareness, and disseminating policy recommendations to local stakeholders.
"Too many babies lose their mothers before they even get to know them...we are here today to change that reality."
-Tammy Murphy