WV Receives $1 Million for Disease Prevention

West Virginia has been awarded more than $1 million for chronic disease prevention programs.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced two grants on Thursday for state and local programs. The programs are aimed at preventing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

 The grants are funded in part by the Affordable Care Act. They will be administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC’s director, Dr. Tom Frieden, says in a news release that tobacco use, high blood pressure and obesity are leading preventable causes of death in the U.S.