The Tennessee Department of Health seeks funding through the ELC program to bolster our public health infrastructure in response to emergent situations, capacity deficits, programmatic gaps, and unforeseen events. With a growing and diversifying population projected to reach over 7.1 million by 2024, Tennessee faces significant public health challenges, particularly in managing infectious diseases like Syphilis, Hepatitis C, and COVID-19, which have seen alarming increases in morbidity and mortality rates.
This project will enhance our core capacities in epidemiology, laboratory services, and public health informatics. Specific initiatives include expanding syringe service programs to combat Hepatitis C, enhancing wastewater surveillance for innovative disease tracking, and improving foodborne illness monitoring through our participation in FoodNet. Additionally, our efforts extend to strengthening antimicrobial stewardship to curb resistance and enhancing infection control in healthcare settings.
Central to our strategy is the integration of epidemiology and laboratory data systems to improve outbreak detection and response. We aim to implement cross-disciplinary teams and shared data platforms to facilitate real-time data sharing and analysis, ensuring swift and coordinated public health actions.
If funded, this initiative will not only address the immediate health concerns of Tennesseans but also build a robust infrastructure capable of adapting to future public health challenges.
