NYC H+H Strengthens Pathogen Preparedness At Bellevue, Celebrates Growing Partnerships With Latin American Consulates

Editor’s note: Staten Islanders may remember our coverage of the pathogen preparedness training NYC H+H joined with Japan Institute.  The hospital also deployed a mobile biocontainment unit they tested that was state of the art new technology

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS’ NYC CARE PROGRAM CELEBRATES GROWING PARTNERSHIPS WITH LATIN AMERICAN CONSULATES

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, NYC Care highlights its partnerships with Latin American consulates, reaching nearly 17,000 people through tabling events since November 2025

NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care is a health care access program available to all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status or ability to pay

NYC Care Executive Director Jonathan Jiménez, MD, MPH met with Consul General of Ecuador Gicela Andrade Valens to discuss expanding the NYC Care partnership

(NEW YORK, NY – October 8, 2026) – In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care program today announced that it has reached 16,874 people through tabling events between its community-based organization partners and Latin American consulates since the tabling partnerships launched in November last year. Recognizing the central role that consulates play for new immigrants to access resources and information, the NYC Care program has spearheaded partnerships with the consulates of Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, and Guatemala. These include 10,781 people reached at the Ecuadorian Consulate; 3,361 reached at the Mexican Consulate; and 1,598 reached at the Colombian Consulate. The NYC Care team has invited community-based organization partners such as La Jornada, Make the Road NY, and Council of Peoples Organization to bring outreach staff on-site to share information on city resources, present on the benefits of regular health care access, and support the direct enrollment process for prospective new members. In some cases, NYC Care has also worked with NYC Health + Hospitals facilities to bring health screenings directly to visitors of the consulates in addition to other government and non-profit partners. These include over 120 blood pressure screenings conducted at the Ecuadorian consulate and over 50 blood pressure screenings conducted at the Guatemalan consulate. NYC Care continues to work to expand the number of consulates it works with, in close partnership with the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. The team also works closely with immigrant communities across the five boroughs to encourage all New Yorkers to continue to seek care at NYC Health + Hospitals, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

NYC Care Community-Based Organization Tabling Partners:

• Alliance for Positive Change
• Center for the Integration & Advancement of New Americans, Inc. (CIANA)
• Council of Peoples Organization
• Emerald Isle Immigration Center
• Korean Community Services
• La Jornada
• Make the Road NY
• Met Council
• Mixteca Organization Inc.
• Raising Health
• South Asian Council for Social Services
• United Sikhs
• Voces Latinas
• Single Stop

“New New Yorkers have a right to health care from Day 1. Through NYC Care’s partnerships with a growing number of consulates, we can eliminate barriers to health care access and ensure New Yorkers do not wait until it is an emergency to seek care,” said Jonathan Jiménez, MD, MPH, Executive Director of NYC Care from NYC Health + Hospitals. “I’d like to thank all of our partners, from the consulates to our community-based organization partners and government agencies. We look forward to building on these successes to partner with more consulates on tabling days, presentations, and events. I encourage all New Yorkers to visit NYCCare.NYC to learn more about the program or call 646-692-2273 (646-NYC-CARE) to begin the enrollment process.”

“The Consulate General of Ecuador in New York recognizes and deeply values its fruitful partnership with NYC Care, which has provided thousands of Ecuadorians in New York with reliable information and access to comprehensive healthcare services, regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay,” said Mgtr. Gicela Andrade Valens, Consul General of Ecuador in New York. “This collaboration demonstrates the positive impact that can be achieved when institutions join efforts and work together in service of our fellow Ecuadorians. We will continue to promote joint initiatives that contribute to the well-being and improved quality of life of the Ecuadorian community and their families.”

“All New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, deserve to have access to comprehensive health care, and it is government’s responsibility to help ensure residents know the resources available to them,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Faiza N. Ali. “Thanks to NYC Care’s partnerships with consulates, City agencies, and community organizations, nearly 17,000 more people now have access to information on NYC Care, where they can choose their own primary care provider, receive preventive and support services, and get the prescription medications they need. NYC Care remains vital to the health and safety of immigrant communities, and we look forward to our continued work together to reach even more New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”

“Nothing is more important than health care for lower-income families, and that’s why we’re proud to be a key part of this initiative,” said David G. Greenfield, CEO, Met Council. “At Met Council, everything we do is about helping people live with dignity and build more stable lives. Access to quality health care is a critical part of that. Through NYC Care, we are helping New Yorkers get the medical care they need, regardless of their circumstances. When we connect people to health care and critical support services, we are giving families the tools they need to live healthier, stronger and more secure lives.”

Since launching in 2019, NYC Care members have completed over one million primary care appointments. A study published in 2024 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that new NYC Care members had the same health care engagement and chronic disease control as new Medicaid enrollees- demonstrating the health equity achieved through the program. NYC Care’s community-based organization partners have reached over 1.4 million New Yorkers, scheduled over 62,000 enrollment appointments, and facilitated over 19,000 direct enrollments. From inaugurating a new durable medical equipment benefit to developing a multi-lingual video series about the program and deploying regular public awareness campaigns, NYC Care continues to champion health care for all New Yorkers.

Advertisement

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/BELLEVUE STRENGTHENS NEW YORK CITY’S SPECIAL PATHOGEN PREPAREDNESS THROUGH SPECIALIZED HANDS-ON TRAINING

About fifty health care workers from Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital participated in Level 2 special pathogen training

(New York, NY – October 9, 2026) – NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue today hosted around fifty health care workers from NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi for a specialized hands-on training in special pathogens preparedness held in collaboration with NYC Health + Hospitals’ Central Office of Biopreparedness and Emergency Management teams. The all-day session was designed to strengthen the public health care system’s capacity and coordination across its hospital facilities to safely respond to special pathogens such as Ebola and other high-consequence infectious diseases.

Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital are among 15 new Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (SPTCs) in HHS Region 2 participating in the Special Pathogen Treatment and Network Development (STAND) Award program. The three NYC Health + Hospitals facilities received STAND awards in January 2026. Administered nationally by the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), with support from the federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the STAND program supports the hospitals’ efforts to build the workforce, infrastructure, and operational capabilities needed to prepare for and respond to special pathogen threats.

Health care workers from NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi alongside instructors from the Region 2 RESPTC training at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue

“Throughout our history, Bellevue Hospital has built the expertise and systems needed to safely respond to some of the world’s most serious infectious disease threats,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Executive Officer Eric Wei, MD, MBA. “By sharing that knowledge with our colleagues at Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital, we are strengthening the ability of the city’s public hospital system to respond together when a threat emerges. That means a better prepared workforce, stronger hospitals, and greater protection for the New Yorkers who depend on us.”

“Preparing for high-consequence infectious diseases requires a coordinated, systemwide approach,” said Syra Madad, DHSc, Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “As Elmhurst Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Hospital work toward becoming fully operational Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers, our collaboration with Bellevue Hospital, a recognized leader in special pathogens preparedness and response, allows us to build on the expertise and strengths across our health system. By strengthening our shared capabilities, we are building a more coordinated and resilient health system that is prepared to response safely and effectively and protect New Yorkers.”

“We train and practice before a crisis so that when a patient does arrive, our teams are ready,” said Vikramjit Mukherjee, MD, Chief of Critical Care and Special Pathogens Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and NETEC Co-Principal Investigator. “Building that capability across multiple hospitals makes our entire health system stronger and better prepared to respond.”

Bellevue Hospital serves as the Level 1 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) for HHS Region 2, which includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The hospital provides training, technical assistance, and expertise to Level 2 facilities across the region. The latest training was part of an ongoing effort to expand and strengthen the Level 2 network regionally and nationally. Bellevue Hospital hosted all 15 regional Level 2 awardees for an initial training in February 2026 and has since worked directly with facilities across the region to provide tailored technical assistance and hands-on training.

(Left to right) NYC Health + Hospitals Office of Biopreparedness and Emergency Management Associate Director Jake Mathewson, Region 2 Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center Director of Nursing and Lead Trainer Patricia Ann Tennill, Bellevue Hospital Chief Operating Officer Erfan Karim, NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Biopreparedness Officer Dr. Syra Madad, and Region 2 RESPTC Director of Regional Preparedness Laura Hillard

During the full day training at Bellevue Hospital, participants practiced NYC Health + Hospitals systemized protocols, including donning and doffing personal protective equipment, infection prevention practices, operational procedures, and the safe handling of medical waste.

Participants practice donning and doffing personal protective equipment during hands-on training at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.

Banner Image:  NYC Health + Hospitals Office of Biopreparedness and Emergency Management Associate Director Jake Mathewson, Region 2 Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center Director of Nursing and Lead Trainer Patricia Ann Tennill, Bellevue Hospital Chief Operating Officer Erfan Karim, NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Biopreparedness Officer Dr. Syra Madad, and Region 2 RESPTC Director of Regional Preparedness Laura Hillard. Image Credit – NYC H+H