US–Kenya Ignite a Powerful and Massive $2.5B War Chest to Annihilate HIV, Malaria and Polio
The United States and Kenya on Thursday inked the inaugural instalment of what is projected to become a sweeping series of “America First” global health compacts.
This initiative forms part of the Trump administration’s broad restructuring of international assistance, which urges lower-income nations to shoulder greater responsibility in confronting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and polio within their own borders.
“This is a genuine alliance. This is how support across the world ought to function. Real assistance means long-term self-reliance — strengthening nations to sustain their own systems,” declared US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the signing event in Washington.
The new five-year, $2.5-billion pact replaces a fragmented collection of earlier arrangements previously overseen by the now-dissolved US Agency for International Development.
Under the revamped framework, US funding will shift away from independent organisations and be channelled directly to Kenya’s government, which will progressively absorb responsibility for health personnel initially financed by Washington.
As part of the deal, Kenya committed to raising its domestic health expenditure by $850 million over the same period.
President William Ruto hailed the agreement as proof of their shared determination to fortify healthcare systems, making them sturdier, more adaptive and financially viable over time.
“The accord we endorsed today accelerates my government’s pursuit of universal health coverage — prioritising the deployment of modern medical equipment, the efficient distribution of essential health commodities, the strengthening of our medical workforce, and comprehensive health insurance for every citizen,” Ruto affirmed.
US representatives noted that numerous other African states are expected to adopt comparable arrangements soon. However, Nigeria and South Africa are unlikely to join due to political disagreements with President Trump.
The dissolution of USAID as an independent entity ignited widespread backlash across the global health sector.
Its closure has resulted in the withdrawal of funding from hundreds of programmes in developing regions, including initiatives focused on maternal and child health, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Source: Araba Sey
