By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs has announced a $2.2 million grant to support primary and special healthcare services in four nuclear-affected atolls in the Marshall Islands.
The grant under the 2024 Technical Assistance Program will be earmarked for the communities of Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap and Utrik.
“Every year OIA provides funding to support healthcare for families and communities from the four nuclear-affected atolls, a program we have supported for many years now as a critical piece of our ongoing support to the Marshall Islands,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor.
DOI has also awarded $90,000 to the Association of Pacific Islands Public Auditors to support the 2024-2025 external peer review and quality control review of 10 APIPA member offices.
Cantor said auditors' tasks are critical given the levels of federal funds provided to the islands.
The $90,000 grant will be distributed to the auditors of Guam, the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia's national government and the four FSM state governments of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap.
This funding has been provided through the OIA Technical Assistance Program. As a reminder, the deadline to apply for fiscal year 2024 TAP funding is March 15. Applications may be submitted at grants.gov, search CFDA 15.875.
