Conference Focuses On Children’s Health Care

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Children and health care.

There are so many Ohio children who are in need of better treatment.

A Thursday discussion could change the course of that care.

NBC 4’s Tom Brockman reported on WHY IT MATTERS.

Health care. It’s one of the biggest issues on Americans’ minds.

The quality of care isn’t always the same when it comes to, perhaps, the most vulnerable of Ohioans, according to Cheryl Boyce, the director of The Ohio Commission on Minority Health.

“It’s not equal,“ Boyce said.

Children face health issues such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more.

“Infant mortality has been a really chronic resistant one. There are approximately two black infant deaths for every one white infant death in the state of Ohio,“ Boyce said.

Health-care experts from across the nation met in Columbus Thursday for the Ohio Health Disparities Conference to discuss the issues.

The conference was sponsored by the Children’s Defense Fund of Ohio.

“We know that we’re now in an era of health reform where we’re not only asking how can we get more people covered and insured, but we’re also asking questions about the quality of care that people receive,“ Dr. Anne Beal said. Beal is the assistant vice president of Health Care Disparities with the Commonwealth Fund.

The basic goal of the conference was to even the playing field when it comes to health care for children in Ohio and across the nation.

But how is that done?

“One of the things that we are looking at at the state level is early childhood development. We understand that prevention and wellness are what is necessary to help us provide solutions for this problem. So, we are looking at prevention,“ Dr. Alvin Jackson. Jackson is the director for the Ohio Department of Health.

Jackson said that, along with other steps, will lead to healthier children—period.

For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail .
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video