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Central Valley advocates press Medical Board for delayed maternal‑mortality report at quarterly meeting
Summary
Multiple public commenters from the Central Valley and Bakersfield urged the Medical Board to release a promised maternal‑mortality/maternal‑health report that board staff had committed to after the August 2023 Bakersfield meeting; advocates said delay has lasted nearly two years.
A group of public speakers repeatedly asked the Medical Board of California to publish a maternal‑mortality and maternal‑health report the board had previously promised after an August 2023 meeting in Bakersfield.
Several speakers identified themselves as volunteers with advocacy groups and described the region's persistently high maternal death rates and the need for data to guide community efforts. Xavier De Leon (Bakersfield) and Tracy Dominguez urged the board to "fulfill your promise" and said families continue to wait for the report. "Too many lives are at stake," De Leon said.
Advocates criticized the delay and argued public trust depends on timely, transparent release of the findings. Kimberly Turpin and Marianne Hollingsworth highlighted repeated requests at successive quarterly meetings; Turpin said the board had agreed in Bakersfield to produce the report and that "it's almost been two years later; You have failed to do so."
Board response: Board staff acknowledged the public requests during the meeting and noted the agenda’s notations about scheduling. No new publication date was promised during the public‑comment response. The board agreed to keep the matter on its agenda for follow‑up.
Outcome: The item was a public‑comment request rather than a formal agenda item; the board received testimony and flagged the report as an outstanding deliverable for staff to follow up on.
