Healthcare workers gathered outside the Hotel Del Coronado to protest the closure of Scripps Mercy Hospital’s maternity ward in Chula Vista. They chanted “Babies over profits! Moms over profits!” to draw attention to their cause. Dr. Susanna Chou, leading the charge in keeping the maternity ward in the South Bay, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of access to maternity care for low-income women of color in the community.
Despite Scripps Health’s assertion that they will ensure safe emergency labor and delivery services with appropriate staffing, protesters remain concerned about the potential consequences of the consolidation. Nurse Gilda Recodo expressed her fear that babies will not have the chance to live if the maternity ward in Chula Vista is closed.
Scripps Health issued a 90-day notice to consolidate its maternity ward with its Hillcrest hospital in San Diego, citing increasing demands for patients. However, protesters argue that the 12-mile distance between the two locations could result in critical delays during obstetrical emergencies. With only one remaining maternity unit in the southern part of the county at Sharp Chula Vista Hospital, healthcare workers fear for the safety of mothers and babies in
