The federal Department of Health and Human Services is failing to meet its responsibilities for leading the nation’s response to public health emergencies including the coronavirus pandemic, extreme weather disasters and even potential bioterror attacks, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog said in a sobering report Thursday. The Government Accountability Office said it is designating HHS’ leadership and coordination of public health emergencies as a “high risk” area for the government. Such a “high risk” designation from the GAO carries no immediate penalties for an agency, but it signals to Congress that lawmakers need to pay special attention to that agency’s operations to avoid future debacles. Longstanding “persistent deficiencies” at HHS “have hindered the nation’s response to the current COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of past threats,” the GAO said in its report. “If left unaddressed, these deficiencies will continue to hamper the nation’s ability to be prepared for, and effectively respond to, future threats.” The shortfalls include managing the medical supply chain, coordinating with federal and state agencies and providing clear and consistent communication to the public and the health care community, the GAO said. The report, part of the GAO’s ongoing evaluation of the government’s pandemic response, comes as leading senators of both parties released draft legislation this week calling for a close study of the pandemic and an overhaul of HHS capabilities. Among the lawmakers’ priorities are closer congressional oversight of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an HHS agency, building out the supply chain and improving coordination from the top rungs of HHS. Some of those address issues raised by the GAO report. “Waiting to address the deficiencies we have identified in HHS’s leadership and coordination of public health emergencies is not an option as it is not possible to know precisely when the next threat will occur; only that it will come,” the GAO said. The report did not assign blame to individual officials, in the current or past administrations. HHS spokesperson Sarah Lovenheim said in a statement that “we’re in a much stronger position than we were a year ago.” Lovenheim added: “We look forward to reading GAO’s feedback on these important issues and sharing progress in this whole-of-government effort as we continue to work to ensure the American people are protected from future health-related emergencies.” Last year, the White House had issued a plan for updating the U.S. pandemic response, but it was not couched in terms of fixing serious shortcomings. Instead, it called for improving U.S. public health capabilities to put them on par with the nation’s military defense response. Under both the Biden and the Trump administrations, HHS has taken a backseat to the White House in management of the coronavirus pandemic even though its scientists, doctors, disease detectives and service providers carry out most of the day-to-day work. The GAO said it found “persistent deficiencies” in five main areas for HHS: establishing clear roles and responsibilities for federal, state and local agencies; collecting and analyzing data to inform decision-makers; providing clear and consistent communication to the public; establishing transparency and accountability; and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of other federal and state agencies that it has to work with. For example, under the heading of setting clear roles and responsibilities, the GAO said that the health agency still has not addressed […]

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