New York City has a higher rate of maternal mortality in comparison to the rest of the country, according to the recent data cited by Council Member Vanessa Gibson’s office – and Gibson’s office is giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to combat these high rates.

The funding is coming to the Bronx, which has the lowest breastfeeding rate among the five boroughs – with the goal of increasing those rates to save lives.

Mothers, babies and health care providers were all in attendance at an event today to support improving the health of Bronx mothers. Over $260,000 of today’s funding will go to support the doula programming with Bronx Health Link, and $150,000 goes to Gotham Health’s breastfeeding program.

News 12 is told that extra effort is being put toward these specific programs because of the disparities that Black mothers in both the Bronx and Brooklyn currently face.

Gibson, who refers to this as a public health crisis, is calling for a Bronx birthing center to continue providing quality care for mothers in the borough.