Gwen Dilworth

Jackson

Community Health Reporter at Mississippi Today

Articles

Federal cuts impact STI testing in Mississippi

1 week ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

Sexually transmitted infection testing is no longer free at county health departments due to recent federal cuts to COVID-19 pandemic relief funding. Community-based organizations and health providers that previously received free STI testing at the state’s public health laboratory through federal grant funding will now have to pay for the services or contract with a commercial lab.
Health officials brace for potential resurgence in childhood illness

1 week ago | djournal.com | Gwen Dilworth

Whooping cough cases are accelerating in Mississippi as public health officials prepare for possible measles outbreaks in the state. There have been 32 reported pertussis, or whooping cough, cases in Mississippi so far this year, up from 49 total cases last year, reported State Epidemiologist Dr. Renia Dotson at the State Board of Health Meeting April 10. kAm}@ >62D=6D 42D6D 92G6 J6E 366? C6A@CE65 :? |:DD:DD:AA:[ 56DA:E6 @FE3C62<D :?
Officials fear impact of declining childhood vaccination rates

2 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

Whooping cough cases are accelerating in Mississippi as public health officials prepare for possible measles outbreaks in the state. There have been 32 reported pertussis, or whooping cough, cases in Mississippi so far this year, up from 49 total cases last year, reported State Epidemiologist Dr. Renia Dotson at the State Board of Health Meeting April 10. No measles cases have yet been reported in Mississippi, despite outbreaks in nearby Texas.
Preliminary report released in UMMC helicopter crash

2 weeks ago | djournal.com | Gwen Dilworth

The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report last week in its investigation of the UMMC helicopter crash in March that killed three crew members. AirCare 3 – one of four helicopters in UMMC’s critical care transport program – was destroyed March 10 after it crashed on a grass field in Canton. kAm%96 A:=@E 2?5 EH@ &||r 6>A=@J66D 5:65 :? E96 4C2D9i r2= (6D@=@HD<: @7 $E2C<G:==6j sFDE:? !@A6[ 2 7=:89E ?FCD6 2?5 E96 32D6 DFA6CG:D@C 7@C p:Cr2C6 :?
Preliminary report released in UMMC helicopter crash

2 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report last week in its investigation of the UMMC helicopter crash in March that killed three crew members. AirCare 3 – one of four helicopters in UMMC’s critical care transport program – was destroyed March 10 after it crashed on a grass field in Canton.
Cuts to state health agencies will affect health workers, bird flu efforts, substance use programs

3 weeks ago | djournal.com | Gwen Dilworth

Cuts to public health and mental health funding in Mississippi have doubled – reaching approximately $238 million – since initial estimates last week, when cancellations to federal grants allocated for COVID-19 pandemic relief were first announced.
Amount of federal cuts to health agencies doubles

3 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

Cuts to public health and mental health funding in Mississippi have doubled – reaching approximately $238 million – since initial estimates last week, when cancellations to federal grants allocated for COVID-19 pandemic relief were first announced.
Pharmacy benefit manager reform likely dead

3 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

Hotly contested legislation that aimed to increase the transparency and regulation of pharmacy benefit managers appeared dead in the water Tuesday after a lawmaker challenged the bill for a rule violation. The bill was sent back to conference after Rep. John Hines, D-Greenville, raised a point of order challenging the addition of code sections to the bill, which will likely kill it.
Feds cut funding for health, mental health agencies

4 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

Mississippi could lose over $100 million in public health and mental health funding as a result of sweeping cuts of federal grants allocated for COVID-19 pandemic relief. The cancellation of grants awarded to the Mississippi State Department of Health totals $117,848,189, according to the Department of Government Efficiency’s “wall of receipts.” However, the site is known to include errors and does not specify which grants the cuts apply to.
Bill changing certificate of need law heads to governor

4 weeks ago | mississippitoday.org | Gwen Dilworth

A bill cleared the Legislature Wednesday that will make it easier for medical facilities to make capital improvements and require the state’s only academic medical center to seek state approval before opening educational facilities outside of Jackson. The legislation, which passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 113-3, will next go to Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk, where he has the option to sign it into law, allow it to become law without his signature or veto it.