Puerto Rico's Health Department Secretary Víctor M. Ramos Otero announced that the Administración de Servicios Médicos de Puerto Rico (ASEM) and the Hospital Universitario Dr. Ramón Ruiz Arnau (HURRA) in Bayamón were selected to receive up to $500,000 each, a combined maximum of $1 million, to strengthen preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases such as Ebola and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. The two institutions are among 21 selected in the second round of the federal Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) program.
Funds will go toward improving infrastructure, acquiring specialized equipment, and training staff, as the facilities work toward Level 2 special pathogen treatment center standards. ASEM's executive director, Dr. Regino Colón Alsina, said the goal is to anticipate needs for equipment, materials and personnel ahead of potential new pathogens, noting some staff will train abroad while outside specialists will also train personnel in Puerto Rico.
He referenced lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. At ASEM, funds will bolster clinical and lab readiness at the Centro Médico de Puerto Rico; at HURRA, they will support specialized capacity development, infrastructure upgrades, training and operational processes. Commander Sandra Carpio, director of the Caribbean office of the federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (HHS), said the 21 institutions selected in this round join 54 others, for a national total of 75.