US: VP Harris announces $1.5 billion healthcare investment for marginalised communities

On Monday, November 22, US Vice President Kamala Harris announced that Biden ministration is allocating $1.5 billion from coronavirus aid package to tackle shortage of healthcare workers in marginalised communities. She stated that money will go to National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, and Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery programmes. se all federal programs provide scholarships and debt repayments to healthcare students and workers who agree to work in underprivileged and high-risk areas. "Our country must invest in a healthcare workforce that reflects America's diversity and ensure that all Americans have access to equitable health care," Vice President was quoted as saying by Associated Press. 

According to White House, funding, which includes money from American Rescue Plan and or sources, will support more than 22,700 providers - highest number of providers engaged in se programmes ever. It comes in response to White House's COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force's recommendations earlier this month, which released a report outlining how government should dress systematic inequalities in healthcare system. COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and worsened inequities in health care for minorities and underprivileged populations. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation report, minority Americans have witnessed a higher number of infections and mortality rates than white Americans over course of pandemic.

COVID-19 did not cause health disparities in US: Harris

Meanwhile, VP Harris claimed that Health disparities were not caused by COVID-19. "Health inequities existed long before virus arrived on our shores, as any healthcare professional would tell you. Health disparities are result of larger social imbalances," she furr explained. It's most recent investment from $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which was authorised earlier this year in month of March. White House announced earlier this month that government programmes focused on improving diversity in public health sector and helping people with disabilities. It h also announced an ditional $785 million in funding for such federal programs. 

Harris also vocated for President Joe Biden's roughly $2 trillion social safety net and climate change package to be passed. It is expected to give cash to temporarily close Medicaid coverage gap and increase access to health insurance marketplace subsidies through 2025. "To dress tragedy of black maternal mortality in America, package would also include a historic investment in maternal health," Vice President outlined. In US, black women are nearly three times as likely as or women to die from a pregnancy-related reason, mainly due to racial bias in healthcare and doctors' failure to recognise risk factors such as high blood pressure.

(With inputs from AP)

Image: AP