American Indian tribes to get $500 million in stimulus funds for health projects

Newly appointed IHS Director Yvette Roubideaux on Friday announced that American Indian tribes will receive $500 million as part of the $787 billion economic stimulus package to fund health care projects, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.

According to the Press-Gazette, American Indian tribes frequently cite lack of adequate health care as a major issue on reservations. President Obama also included a $454 million increase for IHS programs in his 2010 budget proposal to address such barriers.

The $500 million includes:

• $227 million for hospital construction in Alaska and South Dakota;
  
  
• $100 million to maintain and renovate 302 medical facilities nationwide;
  
  
• $85 million for health information technology;
  
  
• $68 million for 169 sanitation projects, such as clean-water facilities, in 24 states; and
  
  
• $20 million for ambulances, CT scanners and other medical equipment.