The Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $5 million in funds to 20 health centers in Puerto Rico to help them prevent the spread of Zika virus in the country.
HHS said Tuesday the funds aim to help the health centers employ additional personnel, support outreach and education programs, as well as expand contraceptive services and other family planning efforts.
HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said the funds reflect the agency’s efforts to fight the health threat posed by Zika virus in Puerto Rico and other countries worldwide.
Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that Zika virus infection is associated with pregnancy loss, microcephaly and other fetal brain defects.
CDC has received reports of approximately 474 Zika virus infection cases in Puerto Rico.
Related Articles
Team Atlanta has claimed the top spot in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s AI Cyber Challenge, or AIxCC, securing $4 million in prize money for its artificial intelligence-driven cyber reasoning system. The team, including experts from Georgia Tech, Samsung Research and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, outperformed six other finalists in the two-year competition aimed at creating AI systems capable of autonomously detecting and patching vulnerabilities of open-source software, particularly those used in critical infrastructure, including financial systems, public utilities and the health care ecosystem, DARPA said. The agency partnered with AI industry leaders Anthropic, Google,
The Federal Communications Commission has appointed Andy Hendrickson as the chief of its Office of Engineering and Technology. Hendrickson is transitioning from his former post of chief technology officer at the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, the commission said Thursday. As OET head, Hendrickson will serve as FCC’s principal technical adviser on spectrum policy, equipment authorization and keeping regulatory standards apace with the rapid changes in the communications sector, FCC noted. According to his LinkedIn profile, Hendrickson joined the FCC Enforcement Bureau as CTO in October 2024, taking the task of guiding field operations. In his previous role, he also provided the
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order aimed at overhauling the federal government’s grantmaking process. New EO to Prevent Tax Dollars Wastage According to the president Thursday, the new EO aims to end “offensive waste of tax dollars” by establishing a new review process to determine whether grants prioritize national interest. Under the presidential directive, each federal agency will have a senior political appointee tasked with evaluating every funding opportunity announcement and grant award to ensure it will benefit Americans and align with agency priorities. The EO permits the termination of grants that are not consistent with agency priorities, national