Emerging Infections Program Receives $4.185 Million Grant Renewal

UR Medicine’s Center for Community Health & Prevention (CCHP), in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health, has recently secured a significant annual grant of $4,185,700 million through a competitive renewal process from the CDC Emerging Infections Program (EIP). This five-year grant underscores the enduring commitment and success of the NYS EIP, which has received continuous funding for nearly three decades.

The EIP operates as a robust network, currently comprised of 10 state health departments, focused on utilizing public health practices to effectively address emerging infections. In collaboration with academic institutions, laboratories, and other public health entities, the program plays a crucial role in generating population-based communicable disease data. This data, essential for monitoring disease patterns, evaluating vaccine effectiveness, and identifying at-risk populations, is instrumental in shaping public health policies and interventions.

Moreover, the EIP is equipped to respond swiftly in emergencies, especially with the recent increased need for infectious disease surveillance. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EIP team, led by Ghinwa Dumyati, MD, an infectious disease physician and the director of the Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Prevention program at the CCHP, was promptly deployed. Their mission involved assessing the burden of COVID-19 hospitalizations and evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine, showcasing the program's versatility and agility in addressing public health crises.

Dr. Dumyati leads a dedicated EIP team comprised of 23 staff members and two faculty members, including Erica Bostick, MD, and Brenda Tesini, MD. This dynamic team plays a pivotal role in advancing the goals of the program, contributing significantly to the surveillance, prevention, and rapid response efforts aimed at safeguarding community health.