Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga
Health equity reporter, Kansas News ServiceBek Shackelford-Nwanganga reports on health disparities in access and health outcomes in both rural and urban areas.
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Rural Kansans could see longer drives to access healthcare or fewer health services because of hospital closures. A report found that Kansas has 28 rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure. -
Research Medical Center closed its labor and delivery and neonatal intensive care departments last year. Emergency room nurses say pregnant patients still come, and staff don’t have the tools to safely treat them. -
The lawsuit alleges CVS secretly kept prescription drug discount savings instead of passing them on to the University of Kansas Hospital Authority. The suit says CVS then terminated its contract when the hospital asked for an audit. -
A growing partnership between a Kansas organization and an Oklahoma breast milk bank is expanding access to donated milk and donation drop off locations in Kansas. Breast milk is critical in situations like premature birth. -
The 1,000-bed facility is currently holding 249 detainees. The board is intended to hold the CoreCivic facility to its agreements with the city and ensure inmates and employees are being treated fairly. -
A community health center in southeast Kansas hopes exposing kids to health care careers through fun activities could lead them into the field in the future. It’s one way to hopefully fight a long-term shortage of health care workers in rural areas. -
Hours after Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill aimed at protecting crisis pregnancy centers, Republican lawmakers reversed the veto, citing a desire to preserve life in the state. -
This is the first confirmed measles case in Kansas City since 2018. Although measles is one of the most contagious diseases, experts say there’s a clear way to avoid it: vaccination. -
Many Americans struggle with medical debt, and those expenses can cause families to give up non-essential costs like extracurricular sports. The Finish Strong Foundation helps pay sports fees so kids can finish their season. -
The influx of people could mean a greater chance of disease spreading. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will have training, reporting and testing information for diseases and travel health notices.
