Vox: We’re screwed on outbreaks like Zika as long as we have to rely on Congress for money
“…On the surface, the reason lawmakers have failed to fund the Zika bill had to do with partisan politics. … But there are more systemic reasons why much-needed public health money can get lost in political infighting, even in the face of a dangerous virus that’s spreading close to home. These have to do with how fragmented the public health system is. … The states take many different approaches to handling public health, but one thing they have in common is that they’re chronically underfunded. … That means states and local governments are often left scrambling for a boost of federal dollars anytime there’s an emergency, like Zika…” (Belluz, 9/8).