The Mississippi State Department of Health on Thursday declared a public health emergency in response to a rising infant mortality rate in the state – most of which is occurring among Black babies.
In 2024, Mississippi saw its highest rate of infant deaths in over a decade.
Data shows the death rate for white infants in 2024 was one of the lowest of the last decade, while the rate for Black infants is the highest it’s been. Nearly twice as many Black infants as white ones died last year.
Monica Stinson, senior program director of the Mississippi Perinatal Quality Collaborative, a program of the Mississippi Public Health Institute, said her organization will play a central role in the emergency response, particularly by collaborating with community-based groups and connecting families with resources.
“The declaration is a powerful tool that helps centralize resources, align key partners, and remove barriers that have historically slowed progress,” Stinson said. “This formal recognition of the crisis allows us to move beyond fragmented efforts and toward a more coordinated, statewide strategy aimed at improving outcomes for all mothers and infants in Mississippi.”
Mississippi is one of the poorest states and has long led the nation in infant mortality, but the worsening numbers and the growing racial disparities call for extraordinary measures, said State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney.