Congressman Engel, State Hospital Representatives Discuss Ebola Response

Press Release

Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health, along with Congressman Joe Crowley, Congressman Charles Rangel, and the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) organized a conference call today for the New York Congressional delegation and representatives from eight state hospitals designated to treat Ebola patients.

"Proper preparation and training are critical to containing and ultimately combatting Ebola. The purpose of the call was to learn more about the challenges these hospitals face, and to ensure that they are receiving the necessary resources and support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies," said Congressman Engel.

HANYS President Dennis Whalen, who moderated today's call said, "HANYS and our statewide hospital membership, including the eight hospitals that have volunteered to step forward to prepare to treat potential Ebola patients, appreciate the leadership Reps. Engel, Crowley and Rangel have shown in working to understand hospital preparedness needs and to commit to working with their delegation colleagues to secure federal support for these ongoing efforts."

Earlier this week, Congressman Engel wrote a letter to Ron Klain, the new Ebola Response Coordinator, outlining concerns about screening procedures at two of our nation's largest international airports.

John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, are among only five airports in the U.S. that accept passengers traveling from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. Additional measures have also been put in place to intercept passengers infected with Ebola.

Members of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD), which protects both airports, have raised concerns about training, protocol and equipment for first responders screening potentially infectious travelers.

"Airport security agents and personnel play a vital role in detecting Ebola. They too need to be adequately trained and have the proper equipment to do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible. It's imperative that we act without delay," Congressman Engel added.

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