University of Nebraska Medical Center aims to expand infectious disease partnership with DoD

The Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center aims to expand its existing partnership with government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense to continue in the fight against highly infectious diseases, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Officials said the medical center's existing partnership with civilian federal health agencies and the U.S. State Department has put the institution on the map in terms of discovering ways in which to treat patients infected with infectious diseases.

Increased partnerships with federal agencies specializing in defense would also help the medical center maintain and obtain additional funds to support ongoing research, according to the report. UNMC and its two partner institutions were previously awarded more than $43.8 million in federal funds to support training efforts to combat infectious disease. It is unclear whether the institutions will receive additional funding under President Donald Trump's proposed budget.

UNMC is one of 13 DoD-affiliated research institutions in the nation. The medical center routinely collaborates with federal agencies on exercises such as transportation drills. The most recent drill took place Wednesday and included 11 Americans serving as mock patients exposed or suspected of having been exposed to an infectious disease. Two of the mock patients were flown to UNMC for treatment, according to the report.

With the success of Wednesday's drill and other such exercises in the past, UNMC officials said they hope to expand the medical center's capacity for transferring patients to biocontainment units in the U.S., according to the report.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars