Melania Trump visits babies, moms affected by opioid crisis
PHILADELPHIA >> First lady Melania Trump toured a hospital’s neonatal care unit Wednesday to learn about the treatment given to newborns experiencing opioid withdrawal, after she was initially delayed by mechanical problems on her plane.
Her flight was forced to return to a Washingtonarea military base because of smoke in the cabin, and she took a different plane to make the trip to Philadelphia.
Mrs. Trump spoke briefly at a conference at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on newborns who have been exposed to opioids while in the womb. The hospital has provided care to mothers with opioid use disorder and their newborn children for more than 45 years.
She was introduced by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who said the Trump administration’s plan to fight the opioid epidemic was “comprehensive and driven by the best science we’ve got.”
She began her remarks by saying “sorry for a little delay.”
Mrs. Trump said there are few things harder than seeing a newborn suffering from opioid withdrawal, and that she wants to shine a light on the issue.
“As the caretakers of the next generation, it is our responsibility to protect our most valuable and vulnerable, our children,” she said.
After touring Jefferson’s neonatal care until, the first lady was also going to visit with mothers who are in addiction treatment in a program that allows them to have their children with them.