Prairie State Wire

The Trump Administration has informed the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) about the termination of federal grants intended to support public health initiatives against infectious diseases. This decision retracts $125 million in funding previously allocated to IDPH and 97 local public health departments for the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Disease (ELC) program.

Originally, these funds were part of 14 budget lines under the bipartisan CARES Act passed during the first Trump Administration. Besides rescinding the approved investments, an additional $324 million earmarked for future work in Illinois is also being blocked. The initial bill was set to provide up to $449 million for disease surveillance and vaccination activities. With COVID-19's peak considered past, IDPH planned to use $125 million from these funds to enhance disease surveillance and prepare for potential pandemics.

The targeted funds were meant for tracking disease spread, investing in labs, wastewater surveillance, workforce development, and strengthening local health departments.

Governor JB Pritzker expressed concern over this decision: “This decision to terminate already awarded federal funding will cause immeasurable harm and disruption to the health and safety of the people of Illinois and generate larger expenses in the longer run.” He added that Illinois would strive to restore this critical funding.

IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra also commented on the impact: “While IDPH has been preparing for anticipated federal budget cuts, the termination of this awarded funding will have a debilitating impact on our efforts to protect the health of Illinoisans.” He noted that if upheld, these cuts would hinder essential upgrades in public health labs, technology for tracking diseases like H5N1 avian flu and measles, vaccination efforts, and preparations for future public health emergencies.

These funding cuts affect operations not only within this fiscal year but extend into the next two state fiscal years as well.