University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital (UH Rainbow) in the US has secured more than $48m grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for the establishment of Regional Pediatric Pandemic Network.

UH Rainbow’s pandemic network of children’s hospitals will support the planning and preparation of child healthcare facilities.

This will help to respond to health threats across the globe, including pandemics, and support communities in everyday paediatric readiness.

UH Rainbow chief government & community relations officer Heidi Gartland said: “We are grateful for this transformative grant from HRSA to continue critical work for the safety and wellbeing of our children across our nation.”

The Regional Pediatric Pandemic Network includes UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, University of California San Francisco-Benioff Children’s Hospital, University of Louisville School of Medicine-Norton Children’s Hospital, University of Utah Health-Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital and Saint Louis University-Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.

Representing broad geographic diversity, this network of hospitals will serve as a hub-and-spoke model of expertise to support efforts for paediatric readiness and disaster preparedness.

UH Rainbow Academic & External Affairs president and chief scientific officer Daniel Simon said: “The pandemic’s impact on children and the health care systems that care for children extend beyond the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases to challenges with access to care and a behavioral health crisis.

“This new network will help to accelerate research-informed pediatric care transformation for sick and injured children across national organisations and infrastructures and we are proud to be leading efforts here in Cleveland and the nation.”