HARI SREENIVASAN:

When it comes to keeping America healthy prevention is often the best medicine. But hundreds of millions of dollars are being funneled away from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention and Public Health Fund. December's tax reform law stripped $750 million dollars from the program, moving that money to the childhood Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, instead. And this week, President Trump signed a bill cutting $1.35 billion from the PPHF over the next 10 years. In addition, funding is not being renewed for global health initiatives which monitor outbreaks overseas, including Ebola. So where does the CDC go from here? Yesterday, I spoke with Ashley Yaeger, an associate editor with The Scientist who has been covering the story.

Tell us what is the PPHF? what does it do?