The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded more than $916 million to continue improving preparedness and health outcomes for a wide range of public health threats within every state, eight U.S. territories, and four of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas.
“Recent events underscore the critical role these preparedness programs play in ensuring our health care and public health systems are poised to respond successfully to emergencies and recover quickly from events like Hurricane Sandy, large explosions such the chemical plant in Texas, or terrorist attacks like the Boston Marathon bombings in April,” said Nicole Lurie, M.D., HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response.
Ali Khan, M.D., director of HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office for Public Health Preparedness and Response, agreed. “Already in 2013, local and state health agencies have responded to eight food borne outbreaks, two new global diseases, and 37 disaster and emergency declarations, a clear indication of the breadth of threats that public health departments must be capable of responding to,” he said.
The fiscal year 2013 funding to support health care and public health preparedness programs included approximately $332 million awarded for the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) cooperative agreement and more than $584 million awarded for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded more than $916 million to continue improving preparedness and health outcomes for a wide range of public health threats within every state, eight U.S. territories, and four of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas.
“Recent events underscore the critical role these preparedness programs play in ensuring our health care and public health systems are poised to respond successfully to emergencies and recover quickly from events like Hurricane Sandy, large explosions such the chemical plant in Texas, or terrorist attacks like the Boston Marathon bombings in April,” said Nicole Lurie, M.D., HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response.
Ali Khan, M.D., director of HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office for Public Health Preparedness and Response, agreed. “Already in 2013, local and state health agencies have responded to eight food borne outbreaks, two new global diseases, and 37 disaster and emergency declarations, a clear indication of the breadth of threats that public health departments must be capable of responding to,” he said.
The fiscal year 2013 funding to support health care and public health preparedness programs included approximately $332 million awarded for the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) cooperative agreement and more than $584 million awarded for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement.
