Cahaba Medical Care in Bibb Co. lands major grant

BIBB COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - The Cahaba Medical Care facility in Bibb County just got a big boost in maternity care. On Friday, an official with President Biden’s administration announced a huge grant to improve maternal health.

The grant is worth $2 million. In practical terms, what this will do is fill a gap, a real need for social workers and health care workers to prevent infant mortality.

“Being involved in the care of pregnant women and infants done before. We’ve had numerous and private partnerships with UAB,” said Cahaba Medical Care CEO Dr. John Waits.

The staff held a roundtable discussion on the grant, one officially delivered Friday by Carole Johnson, the administrator for the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“We’re announcing nationwide $65 million in our new initiatives to tackle the maternity mortality crisis and as part of that, Cahaba Care Center will get a $2 million award. They’re one of 35 health centers across the country getting this award because of the critical work they’re doing here in Alabama,” said Johnson.

This is big news for Nakea Morrision, a mother of three with another child on the way.

“I think it’s going to be great because they have the same nurses. The kids love it here and they know how hard it is to get kids to go to the doctor,” said Morrison.

The $2 million grant is a one-time distribution, according to Dr. Waits. But it’s one he says will be well-spent, building on what they started 8 years ago.

“Build on some of the work we’ve done. We did a joint venture back in 2015 when we re-opened labor/delivery. We’ve recruited 12 family medical obstetricians and three OB/GYN to our teams,” said Dr. Waits.

To put all this in perspective, there are 1,400 medical centers like this one across the country. Cahaba Medical Care is one of 65 that got the grant.

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