Washington, March 27 (H.S.): The Trump administration has canceled a $12 billion federal grant previously allocated to U.S. states for health services, affecting programs related to infectious diseases, mental health, and addiction treatment. This funding, which was provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, was confirmed to be terminated by federal and state officials.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the pandemic is deemed over, implying taxpayer money is no longer seen as necessary. Notices about the cuts were sent to local health departments this week.

The Minnesota Department of Health cited a grant of $226 million it had received. Critics, including Lori Tremmel Freeman and Brian C. Castrucci, emphasized the negative impact on public health, particularly in areas like epidemiology and community educational programs.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar