KC Health Department pushes for more funding

The KCMO Health Department is pushing for more funding for positions like disease detectives.

THIS MORNING THERE ISGROWING CONCERN OVERTHE CORONA VIRUS.WITHIN THE PAST HOUR --ORGANIZERS OF THEGENEVA AUTO SHOWCONFIRMED THAT THEEVENT WILL BE CANCELED.OVERNIGHT GERMANYALSO QUARANTINED ONETHOUSAND PEOPLE ATHOME - AS CORONAVIRUSCASES SPREAD ACROSSTHE GLOBE.MEANWHILE -- THE U-SSTOCK MARKET ISEXPECTED TO OPEN ATLEAST 400 POINTS LOWERWHEN THE OPENING BELLRINGS IN A COUPLE OFHOURS.THAT WOULD FOLLOWWALL STREET'S BIGGESTONE-DAY DROP IN NINEYEARS -- WITH THE DOWPLUMMETING 12-HUNDREDPOINTS.OVERNIGHT ASIAN STOCKMARKETS CONTINUED TOFALL AS FEARS CONTINUETHAT THE CORONAVIRUSWILL DERAIL GLOBALTRADE AND OTHERINDUSTRIES.MEANWHILE MEMBERS OFCONGRESS WILL MEETBEHIND CLOSED DOORSTODAY FOR AN UPDATE ONTHE CORONAVIRUSTHREAT.THEY WILL ALSO DISCUSSFUNDING --TWO POINT 5 BILLIONDOLLARS WAS ORIGINALLYPROPOSED.BUT SEVERAL SAY THATNUMBER IS INADEQUATE.THE LEGISLATION WILLINSTEAD LIKELY BE IN THESIX TO EIGHT BILLIONDOLLAR RANGE.IT WOULD COVER THINGSLIKE INTEREST-FREELOANS FOR SMALLBUSINESSES AFFECTED BYTHE OUTBREAK--AND REIMBURSEMENTSFOR STATE AND LOCALGOVERNMENTS THAT AREPAYING TO FIGHT THECORONAVIRUS.BOTH THE HOUSE AND THESENATE EXPECT TO AGREEON A NUMBER IN THE NEXTTWO WEEKS.WITHOUT EXTRA MONEY,KANSAS CITY'S HEALTHDIRECTOR SAID FIGHTINGTHE CORONAVIRUS WILLBE LIKE PUTTING OUT AFIRE WITH NOFIREFIGHTERS.SO WE ASKED THEDIRECTOR WHAT HEWOULD LIKE TO DO WITH ABLANK CHECK.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER CHARLIEKEEGAN JOINS US LIVEWITH HIS ANSWER.THREE THINGSONE - INVEST IN MORE LABSPACE HERE AT THE HD TOPROCESS TESTS.TWO- COMMIT MOREMONEYCOMMUNICATIONS ANDGETTING WORD OUT TOTHE PUBLIC.AND THIRD - HIRE MOREDISEASE DETECTIVES.HERE"S A PICTURE THEHD SHARED WITH US OF ADISEASE DETECTIVE ATWORK.THINK OF THEM LIKEPOLICE DETECTIVES BUTINSTEAD OF FINDING AKILLER THEY TRACK DOWNHOW A PERSON GOT SICKAND WHO ELSE MAY BE ATRISK FOR GETTING THESAME SICKNESS FROMTHAT CIRCLE.THE DIRECTOR SAIDWITHOUT MONEY TO HIREDETECTIVES - HISDEPARTMENT ISHANDCUFFED.Dr. Rex Archer // KCMO HealthDepartment Director"We've gotten smarter at what weneed to do by 10-15% every yearfor20 years.

The problem is, withthelack of funding, we've lost aneye,ear, arm and a leg, maybe halfof ourtongue.

It has been a challengefromthe standpoint of actually beingableto implement fully those plansweknow we can or should do."DOCTOR ARCHER SAID THEGOVERNMENT CANT JUSTGIVE A ONE-TIME SHOT INTHE ARM OF FUNDING - ITNEEDS TO INCREASEFUNDING AND COMMIT TOTHAT NUMBER YEAR AFTERYEAR.REPORTING LIVE IN KCMOCHARLIE KEEGAN 4