HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that the Department is making available another $75 million to states, territories and four metropolitan areas to help strengthen their capacity to respond to a pandemic influenza outbreak.
?The additional funding will provide our nation?s health care community with a means to continue planning, training and acquiring needed equipment for an effective pandemic response,? Secretary Leavitt said.
?It will also help keep the momentum we have generated over the past year in this important public health area.?
The supplemental funding will be used to:
Establish or enhance stockpiles of critical medical equipment and supplies;
Continue development of plans for maintenance, distribution and sharing of those resources;
Plan for and develop pandemic alternate care sites; and
Conduct medical surge exercises.
The one-time pandemic influenza response planning grants will supplement the $430 million HHS announced on June 28, 2007, to strengthen the ability of hospitals and other health care facilities to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases, and natural disasters that may cause mass casualties.