Baltimore City Health Department

BALTIMORE, MD (July 28, 2015) – As today marks “World Hepatitis Day,” Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen encourages residents to get vaccinated for hepatitis B (HBV) and screened for hepatitis C (HCV).

The Baltimore City Health Department and the U Choose Coalition were awarded a $8.5 million federal grant the groups will use to improve sex education in schools with the hopes of reducing the teen birth rate in African American and Hispanic girls by 30 percent.

The Baltimore City Health Department and the U Choose Coalition have been awarded a $8.5 million grant with a goal of decreasing the city’s teen birth rate for African American and Hispanic girls by 30 percent.  The grant, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is for $1.7 million dollars per year for five years.

The Baltimore City Health Department reported Wednesday that the number of sleep-related infant deaths continues to tick down since it launched a campaign in 2010 to educate mothers about the proper ways to put babies to bed. “Education is the key to changing behavior to prevent these tragic deaths,” said Dr. Leana Wen, city health commissioner. “That means everyone needs to know the ABCs of Safe Sleep -- that babies should be put to sleep alone, on their backs and in cribs, without exposure to secondhand smoke. No exceptions.”

Baltimore saw a record low number (13) of sleep-related infant deaths in 2014, down from a record high of 27 deaths reported in 2009, according to new data from the Baltimore City Health Department.  In Baltimore, the second leading cause of infant mortality is sleep-related infant deaths, behind only complications related to preterm birth and low birth weight.   

As an ER doctor, I have treated hundreds of patients who were dying of heroin overdose, and I know that it is a disease that claims lives. As a family member of loved ones who struggled with addiction, I have seen that heroin isn't just an individual disease; it's a family disease. As a public health official in Baltimore, where an estimated 19,000 of our residents use heroin, I have witnessed how heroin ties into the very fabric of our city; it's a community disease. Read more of Dr. Leana Wen's Baltimore Sun Op-Ed here.

The Baltimore City Health Department stands united with the Police Department and with our city, state and federal partners in reducing violence and promoting safety in Baltimore. Operations of the Safe Streets East site in the McElderry Park community have been indefinitely suspended pending further investigation. Safe Streets has a zero-tolerance policy for felony arrests; therefore, the two Safe Street employees allegedly involved have been terminated.

Keep Hydrated and Reduce Outside Activity with Artscape Festivities.