Dive Brief:
- President Obama will ask Congress for $1.8 billion in emergency funding to prepare and respond to the Zika virus, which is spread by two types of mosquitos.
- More than one million people in South America have been infected since its emergence in 2014, with origins believed to be in Brazil.
- Recent news that the non-lethal virus may be linked to at least six cases of microcephaly, a birth defect that causes incomplete brain development, has created an urgency to address how it spreads, prevention, and develop a vaccine.
Dive Insight:
The funding, if approved, will be divided amongst several health organizations:
- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will receive $828 million to address prevention and response efforts, including education for pregnant women and healthcare professionals, and improving diagnostics for the virus.
- CMS will receive $250 million to support federal assistance for Puerto Rico to support health services for pregnant women at risk for infection or diagnosed with Zika.
- Another $200 million will go to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a vaccine and diagnostics.
- A new Urgent and Emergent Threat Fund to address the Zika virus will receive $210 million.
- The U.S. Agency for International Development will receive $335 million to support affected countries' mosquito control and virus transmission.
- The State Department will receive $41 million for medical support of State Department employees and U.S. citizens in affected countries, operational activities, public diplomacy, and communications.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) told NBC News that Congress should fund a public health emergency fund to circumvent funding requests being stalled. Since the fund currently has no resources, DeLauro has introduced the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Act to provide $5 billion for it. The Public Health Emergency Fund was established in 1983 but has only received funding twice.