HRSA Awards $17 Million to Reach Populations in U.S. Territories Affected by Zika

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $17 million today to health departments in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa to provide access to comprehensive health care and support services for children and families affected by Zika virus in these territories.

The funding is being made available under the Zika Response and Preparedness Appropriations Act of 2016.

“The current spread of the Zika virus poses a significant threat to public health, including the health of women, children and families,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Jim Macrae. “This funding will help support a set of services for the maternal and child health population.”

As of December 7, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 32,848 locally acquired cases of Zika virus in Puerto Rico, 807 in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 57 in American Samoa.  

 “Children born to mothers who test positive for Zika virus during pregnancy will require coordinated, multidisciplinary care that includes consistent follow up and management,” said HRSA Associate Administrator for Maternal and Child Health, Michael Lu. “A comprehensive system of care is an integral part of meeting the needs of children born to mothers who test positive for Zika.”

Awardees:

Organization	Territory	Award Amount
Puerto Rico Department of Health	Puerto Rico	$16,000,000
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health	U.S. Virgin Islands	$500,000
America Samoa Department of Health	America Samoa	$500,000

For more information about available federal resources to help states respond to Zika, read HRSA’s Zika Resource Guide: http://www.hrsa.gov/zika/resourcesforchildrenzika.pdf.

To learn more about the HRSA and how it is addressing the Zika virus, visit http://www.hrsa.gov/zika/index.html.

For more information on the U.S. efforts to combat the Zika virus, visit https://www.cdc.gov/zika/.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  HRSA is the primary Federal agency responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable.  For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.