The research ministry has only approved slightly less than half of the allotted funds for the “National Decade against Post-Infectious Diseases” planned for 2026. According to responses from Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU) to an inquiry submitted by the Left Party, and reported by the Rheinische Post, the ministry has so far allocated only about 22 million euros toward the initiative. To date, 5.1 million euros have actually been spent, though the research ministry has a total budget of 50 million euros designated for the “National Decade” this year alone.
Left Party MP Sonja Lemke criticized the government, stating that while the federal government made great promises and generated high hopes regarding the National Decade, it is failing to deliver. She warned that a funding shortfall could occur. Lemke further argued that there is no evidence of a joint effort among different bodies. “If things continue this way, the decade will be a great disappointment,” she said, demanding that the federal government quickly adopt a different approach and treat the National Decade as a vital political undertaking.
These issues are critical given that estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of people in Germany are affected by post-infectious diseases, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.
