News Releases for January 2006
January 13, 2006
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Hoeven: State To Receive $654,000 DHHS Funding For Pandemic Flu Response
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today announced that North Dakota will receive about $654,000 from the federal government aimed at helping state and local agencies prepare for and cope with possible pandemic influenza. Hoeven and State Health Officer Terry Dwelle, M.D. of the North Dakota Department of Health outlined the state’s response plan for pandemic influenza in November.
North Dakota will receive $654,029 in new pandemic flu funding, as part of a $100 million dollar package of pandemic flu funding for state and local government, announced yesterday by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt.
“Preparing for a possible flu pandemic is a challenge – and a priority,” said Hoeven. “We’re working to be prepared, and this new funding will help us strengthen the efforts already underway among the North Dakota Department of Health, local public health units and other partners across the state.”
Hoeven and Leavitt discussed pandemic flu response when the Secretary visited North Dakota at the Governor’s invitation in October. The Secretary made the funding announcement at pandemic planning summits in Vermont and West Virginia. The summits are the latest in a series of forums that are being held in each state over the next few months. Hoeven said Leavitt’s visit to North Dakota is in the planning stages.
“We have already been working to update and strengthen our plans for responding to a pandemic,” according to Dwelle. “These efforts will continue as we determine how best to use this funding.”
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