(CTN News) – On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared the elimination of 10,000 full-time posts across various departments as part of the Trump administration’s initiative to reorganize the federal government.
The White House’s “reduction in force” strategy jeopardizes public health programs, anticipated to result in the closure or downsizing of many CDC and other health agency divisions.
NIH, FDA, and CDC are among the 13 HHS agencies.
Twenty-eight health divisions possess “redundant units,” which HHS revealed on Thursday will be consolidated into fifteen as part of the restructuring initiative.
Robert Kennedy Jr. stated on X, “We will abolish numerous departments while retaining their essential functions by consolidating them into a new entity named the Administration for Healthy America, or AHA.”
The Health Resources and Services Administration, encompassing an HIV treatment program, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will be amalgamated into the Administration for Healthy America.
The HHS reports that the CDC will either remove or diminish its departments focused on injury prevention, encompassing gun violence, domestic HIV prevention, and global health initiatives.
Andrew Nixon, senior spokesperson for HHS, announced that the CDC will terminate 2,400 employees. Furthermore, he said that the CDC will assume control of the emergency stockpile from the HHS’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
Furthermore, the government will abolish agencies responsible for the authorization of novel pharmaceuticals, provision of health insurance, and management of infectious disease epidemics.
The CMS will terminate 300 full-time employees, the NIH will reduce its workforce by 1,200, and the FDA will eliminate 3,500 positions.
The layoffs and downsizing will decrease the health department’s full-time personnel from 82,000 to 62,000.
A document obtained by NBC News indicates that staff who have been put off will be notified by Friday. Nixon asserted that the restructure of CMS will not affect Medicare, Medicaid, or the FDA’s testing of drugs, devices, and food.
“No further reductions are presently scheduled.”
Larry Levitt, executive vice president of health policy at KFF, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy, criticized the Trump administration but recognized the necessity for periodic adjustments to government agencies, which tend to expand.
Trump stated, “this is not merely a reorganization of HHS,” asserting that government services will deteriorate due to the reduction of federal personnel. Prolonged waiting times for assistance and responses may lead to delays and frustration for both customers and medical professionals.
Following the notification of the suggested alterations on Thursday morning, an FDA employee articulated apprehension around potential delays in the evaluation of pharmaceuticals and devices, notwithstanding the administration’s promises.
The individual, who requested anonymity, remarked, “Although reviewers may not be directly eliminated, the reductions to the FDA will adversely affect our mission.” “Our ability to review is contingent upon substantial backend support.”
In contrast to previous governmental efforts to dismiss several probationary CDC and other federal employees, the layoffs disclosed on Thursday were distinct. Two federal judges have mandated the temporary reinstatement of numerous affected employees.
The CDC leadership was apprised of the plans on Wednesday and directed to anticipate a statement by Thursday or Friday, as per an agency official who was not authorized to discuss.
Federal health officials aimed to reassign the responsibilities of certain agencies that had discontinued operations to other departments within HHS.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration, which the Trump administration contemplated transferring to the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention.
Nonetheless, several HIV advocates are concerned that HRSA’s prioritization of HIV treatment over prevention may hinder preventive initiatives.
The administration’s attitude was not evident on Thursday. The HHS spokesman did not promptly respond to requests for commentary. Trump’s appointee for CDC director and interim director, Susan Monarez, is expected to supervise the agency’s newly restructured divisions.
In anticipation of funding reductions, five division chiefs of the CDC resigned, as reported by the Associated Press last month.
On Tuesday, the Senate ratified Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, as the head of the NIH, and Dr. Marty Makary, a pancreatic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, as the director of the FDA.
On Tuesday, a Senate committee endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former surgeon and media personality, to head CMS.
SOURCE: NBC
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