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Durham Public Health warns federal grant cuts and rising pharmacy costs threaten services
Summary
Public Health Director Dr. Rod Jenkins presented a $27.97M FY25–26 request and warned that recent federal and state stop‑work orders and grant cuts are slicing programs — including HIV/STI testing and tobacco prevention — while pharmacy and contracted‑services costs (Wellpath) are rising sharply.
Dr. Rod Jenkins, director of Durham County Public Health, told commissioners that the department requested $27,967,434 for FY25–26, an increase driven by personnel and operating costs and rising contracted‑service and pharmacy expenses. “Department of Public Health has requested $27,967,434 for fiscal year 25 26,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins highlighted the county’s reliance on contracted services, noting Wellpath — the jail‑health contractor — accounts for a major share of contracted spend. He said pharmacy spending is up steeply, driven largely by HIV and psychiatric medications: “There is a 184% increase in pharmacy costs since 2019,” Jenkins said, and that the per‑tablet cost of the HIV drug Biktarvy has risen from about $105 to $136.
He also warned that recent federal stop‑work orders and a 10% cut to some grants will reduce services: Durham lost invoicing for a paused NATO grant and faced stop‑work on some COVID‑era activities and tobacco‑prevention funding. Jenkins said those cuts could eliminate school‑based and community nutrition programs and reduce STI/HIV testing services that reach thousands of residents.
Commissioners thanked staff and pressed for quantification of impacts; deputy director Kristin Patterson confirmed staff would provide more detailed analyses (including potential Medicaid impacts) as those federal and state actions become clearer.
