The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Hospitals have been selected to be a Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. UNC-Chapel Hill was one of three sites selected to expand beyond 10 existing RESPTC sites across the US, WRAL reports.
UNC School of Medicine’s William Fischer, MD, and David Wohl, MD both members of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, will lead the new center, established through a $3-million ASPR grant. The other two new centers will be established at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids Michigan. The ASPR also awarded $1.2 million to each of the original 10 RESPTCs for a total investment of $21 million.
For several years, UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill has been one of eight North Carolina healthcare facilities designated as an assessment hospital to identify, isolate, and care for a patient infected with an emerging pathogen for up to 96 hours before transfer to a RESPTC. Now UNC will join Emory University as the only two RESPTCs in the Southeast. Read more.
