Public Health Preparedness: Critical Need to Address Deficiencies in HHS’s Leadership and Coordination of Emergencies

The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for leading and coordinating the federal government’s preparedness for and response to public health emergencies.

We testified about our work from over a decade, which identified persistent, systemic problems with HHS’s performance in this role. The issue was added to our High Risk List in January 2022.

These problems affected the nation’s response to COVID-19 and other past emergencies. As the nation faces new threats, addressing these problems can help the U.S. adequately prepare for future emergencies. As of April 2023, 91 of our recommendations in this area remain open.

The COVID-19 pandemic is just one example of a public health emergency HHS has worked on in...