Obama seeks $1.5 billion for swine flu, including tech

President Obama is taking a proactive stand in dealing with the exploding swine flu outbreak in the United States and around the world. He's seeking $1.5 billion from Congress in supplemental funds that could include money for federal agencies to improve disease tracking and other issues.

"Among the uses of these funds could be supplementing antiviral stockpiles; developing a vaccine; supporting the monitoring, diagnostic and public health response capabilities; and assisting international efforts to stem this outbreak," Obama wrote to congressional leaders.

Technologies are likely to be an important tool as government works to keep a handle on the outbreaks, and to inform people about ways to prevent its spread.

In an interview with Federal Computer Week, Dr. Harry Greenspun, chief medical director for Perot Systems healthcare group, said, "We need to know where and how it is spreading," Greenspun said. "If it turns out to have a regional pattern, the funding may need to be focused regionally."

For more on the swine flu:
- check out this Federal Computer Week article