CDC awards over $3 billion to strengthen U.S. public health infrastructure

(Reuters) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday it is awarding more than $3 billion to help strengthen public health workforce and infrastructure across the United States after the COVID-19 pandemic put severe stress on them.

The public health agency's funding includes $3 billion from the American Rescue Plan announced by President Joe Biden's administration last year, and would cover all state, local and territorial health departments across the country.

It also includes $140 million from a new appropriation to those jurisdictions and an award of $65 million to three public health entities to help provide training and technical assistance.

"The pandemic severely stressed (the health) agencies, which were already weakened by neglect and underinvestment," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. "This grant gives these agencies critical funding and flexibility to build and reinforce the nation's public health workforce and infrastructure."

(Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)