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HARKIN ANNOUNCES $4.9 MILLION IN BIOTERRORISM FUNDS FOR IOWA HOSPITALS
8/29/2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As
part of his ongoing support for Iowa’s bioterrorism efforts, Senator
Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that the Iowa Department of Public
Health will receive more than $4.9 million from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) to help Iowa hospitals prepare for and
respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Harkin
helped secure this funding as the ranking Democrat on the Senate panel
that funds health initiatives.
“Hospitals must be
prepared in the event of a biological or chemical attack,” said Harkin.
“This funding will help hospitals prepare for these types of attacks
and will work to protect the health and safety of Iowans.”
The funding – which was
included in the Fiscal Year 2005 Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education appropriations bill – will be used to improve state and local
hospital preparedness for responses to bioterrorism and other public
health threats by planning and staffing hospitals to meet possible
high-volume cases of infectious disease exposure.