Health security

Trump to declare opioid crisis a 'public health emergency'

US President Donald Trump will declare the opioid crisis that has gripped the country a public health emergency.

Mr Trump will announce a plan to target the abuse of the pain drugs, which kill more than 140 Americans each day, in an address at the White House.

The president has previously promised to declare a national emergency, which would have triggered federal funding to help states combat the drug epidemic.

The move instead redirects grant money to be used in dealing with the crisis.

Mr Trump will sign a presidential memorandum on Thursday directing his acting health secretary to declare a nationwide public health emergency and ordering all federal agencies to take measures to reduce the number of opioid deaths, according to senior White House officials.