The Guam Memorial Hospital Authority has been awarded a half-million dollar federal grant to strengthen its preparedness for high-risk infectious diseases. 

GMHA was selected to receive a $500,000 National Special Pathogen System Level II Award, supporting its role as a designated special pathogen treatment center. The funding will be used to enhance staff training, improve protocols, and strengthen systems needed to safely identify, isolate, and care for patients during infectious disease emergencies.

Hospital officials say the grant will help ensure healthcare workers have the tools, training, and coordination necessary to respond quickly while protecting both patients and staff. Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio both emphasized the importance of investing in readiness before a crisis occurs, noting the funding strengthens Guam’s public health safety net.

The grant is part of a competitive national program aimed at improving hospital readiness for future public health threats.