US-Kenya $2.5B health deal targets HIV, Malaria and Polio

The United States and Kenya on Thursday signed the first of what is expected to be dozens of ‘America First’ global health agreements.

It is part of the Trump administration’s overhaul of foreign aid and calls for poorer nations to play a bigger role in fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio in their countries.

"So this is truly a partnership. This is the way we should be doing assistance around the world. True assistance is self-sustainability, building the ability to sustain yourself in the long term,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the ceremony in Washington.

The five-year $2.5 billion agreement replaces a patchwork of previous agreements that were run by the dismantled US Agency for International Development.

It will move US funding from non-governmental groups to the Kenyan government, which would gradually take responsibility for health workers initially funded by the US.

The agreement also saw Kenya pledging to increase its own health spending by $850 million over the five years.

Kenyan President William Ruto said the partnership was a testament to their shared resolve to make healthcare systems stronger, more resilient, and sustainable.

“The framework we signed today adds momentum to my administration's universal health coverage that is focused on supply of modern equipment to our hospitals, efficient and timely delivery of health commodities to our facilities, enhancement of our health workforce, and health insurance for all," he said.

US officials said other African countries are expected to sign similar deals in the coming days. But Nigeria and South Africa will likely not be among that group due to political differences with Trump.

The elimination of USAID as a separate agency sparked widespread criticism and concern in the global health community.

Its resulted in the defunding of multiple hundreds of programmes in developing nations, including for maternal and childcare, nutrition, and anti-HIV/AIDS.