New Free Short Film, 'Reducing Infant Mortality,' Exposes How U.S. Health Care System Fails Mothers and Babies and Costs Taxpayers Billions

New Free Short Film, 'Reducing Infant Mortality,' Exposes How U.S. Health Care System Fails Mothers and Babies and Costs Taxpayers Billions

LOS OLIVOS, Calif., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- America's infant mortality ranking is 42nd on the world stage placing the U.S. in the company of countries including Guam, Cuba and Croatia. The United States currently sustains over half a million infant deaths per year -- twice as many as the top ten countries of the world. Now, in a powerful new short film by Debby Takikawa of Hana Peace Works, "Reducing Infant Mortality" exposes how the U.S. health care system is failing mothers and babies, while costing American taxpayers billions of dollars.

Designed as a call to action and a discussion tool, the film features interviews with physicians, psychologists, midwives and others who explore the causes of death as well as health issues that babies face who do survive. "When we improve our mortality rate we also address issues that threaten the babies who live, such as prematurity, birth defects and more," Takikawa said.

In President Obama's Sep. 10 address to the nation on Health Care Reform, he stressed the importance of prevention. His plan states, "Simply put, in the absence of a radical shift towards prevention and public health, we will not be successful in containing medical costs or improving the health of the American people."

Approximately $26.2 billion are spent annually on caring for premature babies. If Americans apply the principles of preventive medicine to prematurity billions can be saved. "Infant mortality is both a serious economic problem and a moral issue," Takikawa said. "Our state-of-the-art health care system disproportionately affects African-American infants. It is unacceptable that 1 in 6 African-American babies are born prematurely." The result of poor or nonexistent care inflicts preventable damage to babies who are then often unable to fulfill their human potential and struggle with health and emotional issues for a lifetime.

The film outlines steps to improve outcomes for babies and their mothers. More social, emotional and medical support empowers women in the birth process and strengthens their mothering instincts.

"Reducing Infant Mortality" is available both on DVD and free online at www.reducinginfantmortality.com.

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Source: Hana Peace Works

CONTACT: Jennifer Hill Robenalt of Hoopla Media & Communications,
+1-512-382-0303, jennifer@hooplamedia.com, for Hana Peace Works

Web Site: http://www.reducinginfantmortality.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment