© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Rural Missouri Clinics To Get $17 Million In COVID-19 Aid

More than $17 million in aid will be distributed to 351 rural healthcare providers in Missouri, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo, announced Wednesday.

“This funding will expand coronavirus testing capabilities at hundreds of health clinics in underserved areas, providing resources for everything from supplies to staff training,” Blunt said in a statement.

Expanding coronavirus testing to more than 7,500 tests a day has been a focus for Missouri officials, as the state’s economy continues to reopen. Gov. Mike Parson said he will announce specific details about testing expansion Thursday.

On May 1, Blunt also announced rural Missouri hospitals and health providers would receive more than $296 million in federal funding for coronavirus-related relief.

Since 2014, 10 rural hospitals in Missouri have closed. Healthcare clinics serving rural areas often face financial and staffing difficulties, according to previous Missourian reporting.

To read more, visit our partners at the Columbia Missourian.