"In August 2025, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) declared rising infant mortality in the state a public health emergency. According to the MSDH, "2024 data shows the overall infant mortality rate has increased to 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is the highest in more than a decade. In Mississippi, 3,527 babies have died before the age of 1 since 2014.""
"Mississippi currently has the highest infant mortality rate in the United States, and double the average of the countries that comprise the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The MSDH said that it declared a public health emergency because it "recognized the urgency of this crisis and could not wait to take action." A public health emergency allows MSDH to mobilize additional resources and garner the attention and collaboration of more partners."
MSDH declared rising infant mortality a public health emergency in August 2025 after 2024 data showed an infant mortality rate of 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births and 3,527 infant deaths since 2014. Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the United States and about double the OECD average. The emergency status enables mobilization of resources and broader partner collaboration. High rates also affect other states such as Arkansas, Alabama, Alaska, South Carolina, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Ohio. Policy barriers hinder progress: refusal to expand Medicaid, potential Medicaid cuts, limited postpartum coverage effects, and severe reductions to PRAMS and CDC reproductive health staffing.
Read at The Nation
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