This story was originally published by Direct Relief.
The past several weeks have cast a stark spotlight on the state of maternal and infant health in the United States and abroad, as new crises and ongoing challenges have tested the resilience of health systems. From the declaration of a public health emergency in Mississippi due to a troubling spike in infant mortality, to the delivery of critical medical aid and telehealth innovations spanning continents, the urgency of safeguarding mothers and babies has rarely been clearer.
On August 21, 2025, the Mississippi State Department of Health took the extraordinary step of declaring a public health emergency, prompted by a surge in infant deaths that has pushed the state’s already grim statistics to new heights. According to March of Dimes, Mississippi’s infant mortality rate reached 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024—the highest in the nation and nearly double the provisional U.S. rate of 5.5. The numbers are even more staggering among Black families. Babies born to Black mothers in Mississippi suffered an infant mortality rate of 15.2, a nearly 24% increase from the previous year, while the rate for babies born to white mothers actually declined. Despite accounting for less than 1% of U.S. births, Mississippi is responsible for more than 1.6% of all infant deaths nationally, underscoring the disproportionate impact on the state’s most vulnerable communities.
“The Mississippi Department of Health’s declaration of a public health emergency in response to infant mortality is a painful reminder of the maternal and infant health crisis facing our nation,” said Cindy Rahman, President and CEO of March of Dimes, in a statement published on August 22, 2025. She added, “Every number represents a baby lost and a family grieving. These losses should be a wake-up call to the nation.”
The recent spike in infant deaths in Mississippi is concentrated among newborns less than 28 days old, with prematurity, birth defects, and maternal complications cited as key contributors. The state’s preterm birth rate stands at 15%, compared to a national average of 10.4%. Nearly half of Mississippi’s counties are classified as maternity care deserts, meaning families have little or no access to essential maternity care—a situation that places mothers and babies at heightened risk for poor outcomes. “Mississippi’s commitment to improving its system of care for moms and babies, filling gaps in care, and expanding community health and home visiting programs is an important step forward—and aligns closely with the priorities March of Dimes has been advocating across the country,” Rahman said.
Mississippi’s crisis is not an isolated phenomenon. According to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), twenty-four states reported rising infant mortality rates in 2024, with states like Arkansas and Louisiana—already among the worst for infant outcomes—also seeing increases. This troubling trend, as March of Dimes points out, reveals a system failing mothers and infants where investment is needed most.
“We know the best way to save babies’ lives is to support moms’ health before, during, and after pregnancy. That means increasing access to early prenatal care, reducing maternity care deserts, and ensuring no matter where a mom gives birth, she and her baby can be quickly connected to appropriate treatment—from routine delivery to the most specialized newborn care,” Rahman emphasized. She also highlighted the need for investment in home visiting programs and community health workers who can connect families with resources where they live.
Medicaid plays a crucial role in this landscape, covering nearly 53% of births in Mississippi and 40% nationwide. Any cuts or restrictions to Medicaid, Rahman warned, would only exacerbate the crisis. “Telehealth, home visiting, and other community-based supports are essential tools, but they cannot succeed without the foundation of health insurance through Medicaid and other programs that support families,” she explained.
While the situation in Mississippi has rightly drawn national attention, efforts to address maternal and infant health are unfolding on multiple fronts. Over the week prior to August 22, 2025, Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization, shipped 769 shipments of requested medical aid to 47 U.S. states and territories and 14 countries worldwide. These shipments included 11.5 million defined daily doses of medication, ranging from cancer treatments and rare disease therapies to diabetes management medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, and prenatal vitamins.
Direct Relief’s work is perhaps most visible in its support for community health initiatives in underserved and disaster-affected areas. In mid-August, the organization supported a community health fair on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico—an area with limited access to health services due to its remote location. Working with local partners like HealthProMed and La Fondita de Jesús, the event offered primary care, cancer screenings (including mammograms), and psychological services, particularly for cancer patients. These efforts build on Direct Relief’s longstanding support for Puerto Rico’s health infrastructure since Hurricane Maria.
Internationally, Direct Relief’s impact was felt in Kerala, India, where catastrophic flooding and a deadly landslide last month claimed over 400 lives. Amrita Hospital, based in Kerala, deployed a Direct Relief-funded mobile telehealth unit equipped with advanced diagnostic tools and a satellite dish to provide care for affected communities. This mobile medical unit is the latest in a partnership that began after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, allowing Amrita to provide outreach to hundreds of thousands of people, particularly in remote or disaster-stricken areas.
In Chad, midwife kits containing 61 essential items were delivered in August 2025 to rural health centers more than 300 miles from the capital. These kits are designed to support safe births in regions where access to skilled care is limited. Additionally, shipments of medicines and medical supplies—including cancer therapies, treatments for infections and chronic conditions, wound care items, and protective gear—were sent to Chad’s Ministry of Public Health.
Back in the United States, Direct Relief’s Power for Health initiative enabled Community Health Centers of the Central Coast in Santa Maria, California, to maintain telehealth services during the Gifford Fire, which began on August 1, 2025, and scorched over 131,000 acres. A solar microgrid funded by Direct Relief allowed the health center to continue operating as a telehealth hub for rural communities, even as fire-driven closures shuttered local clinics. “This has been a critical lifeline, particularly for patients managing chronic conditions who simply cannot afford gaps in treatment,” said Victoria Wood, the clinic’s chief experience officer. “The Power for Health initiative at Skyway has been a key part of making this possible by strengthening the infrastructure we’ve depended on during this crisis.”
Since January 1, 2025, Direct Relief has delivered 19,100 shipments to 2,373 partner organizations in 54 U.S. states and territories and 85 countries, totaling 180 million defined daily doses of medication valued at $1.4 billion wholesale. These efforts illustrate the scale and complexity of the response required to address maternal and infant health challenges—whether in response to sudden emergencies or persistent, systemic inequities.
As Mississippi’s crisis reminds the nation, and as the stories from Puerto Rico, India, Chad, and California illustrate, the fight for the health of mothers and babies is ongoing, urgent, and global. Every shipment, screening, and policy change represents a step toward a future where no family has to grieve a loss that could have been prevented.
