Flu Outbreak Reveals Healthcare Shortfalls

Ailing Economy, Budget Cuts Leave State And Local Health Agencies On Thin Ice

(AP)  A report from the group in December found emergency planning gaps in areas such as rapid disease detection, food safety and "surge capacity" to quickly scale up equipment, staff and supplies to meet a major outbreak.

Dan Sosin, head of emergency response at the Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness, praised the federal swine flu response, but acknowledged that public health officials face "capacity issues in terms of ongoing resources and funding."

"We could spend more money," he said. "We could use more than we have."

The CDC's acting director, Richard Besser, told Congress last month the government is concerned about states being too short-staffed to conduct required emergency exercises.

The main fund for local health emergency planning after the Sept. 11 attacks, the federal Public Health Emergency Program, has dropped nearly one-third since a 2006 peak of almost $1 billion, according to CDC figures. The money had included a special three-year congressional allocation for pandemic flu preparation that ran out last year.

President Barack Obama now is asking Congress for $1.5 billion to fight swine flu.

A second fund to help local agencies plan for public health emergencies, the Hospital Preparedness Program, has fallen nearly a quarter from $457 million in the 2006 budget year.

Decreases in the Public Health Emergency Program were most significant in Iowa, Mississippi, Colorado, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Louisiana. After a pair of killer hurricanes hit Louisiana in 2005, Washington sent nearly $15 million in 2006 health emergency help. This year, it's down to $9.8 million.

Louisiana's dollars from the hospital program slid from $7.1 million in 2006 to $5.2 million this year.

Even New York City, site of one of the Sept. 11 attacks, saw its Public Health Emergency funds fall to $20.6 million this year from $28.7 million during the 2006 budget year.

In Orange County, Fla., people were diverted from other duties for swine flu needs in a health department increasingly burdened with a range of demands as people lose jobs, said health director Kevin Sherin.

Sherin, president of the advocacy group American Association of Public Health Physicians, questioned longer-term capabilities for lab and field work in his state and elsewhere.

"In the event of a real emergency, these systems have capacity problems," he said.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, a nonprofit lobbying group, said that after the federal emergency buildup, "We didn't complete the job and we didn't make the system sustainable. Our ability to manage more than one thing, or scale up fast is really worrisome."

[gosstom]

It's amazing how the money starts to dwindle just when it is neded most. No amount of image rubbing can remove the rust that came to cover their missed opportunities; no amount of polish can hide the word "disgrace" scrawled large.

[craigh9]

All this flu outbreak showed was how irresponsible the media is - they totally blew this WAY _-WAY - WAY out of proportion - to the point that the political machine had to also go overboard so as not to look like they didn't care.
Amazing that a flu with a catchy name that kills dozens of people grabs headlines while every year flu's without monikers kill thousands and nobody even thinks twice about it.

[YCantWeAllGetAlong]

I like how the omnipotent, safe and secure in their jobs with good, adequate health insurance, sit there and bleat about how horrible health care for everyone would be. Not everyone can afford a degree and land a cushy job with excellent benefits. Some people actually do manual labor for low pay and can't afford $8-900 a month for family insurance. Imagine that. The elite really just don't get it. The lack of compassion by those doing OK is very sad. We are comfortable and have very good insurance, but I would support health care for everyone. A healthy society is a productive one. Someone will commit a crime if they need medication for their children and that's sad.

[Hermit1948]

Yet another story designed to "scare" us into accepting government run health care. No thanks.

[generey]

Flu Outbreak Reveals Healthcare Shortfalls.

Healthcare shortfalls??? In this country????? NO WAY. It's great! Ask any non-citizen.