On Thursday, the United States and Kenya signed the first of several expected America First world health contracts. The Trump administration aims to shift more responsibility to partner countries in fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the new policy focuses on long-term self-sufficiency. The five-year, $2.5 billion agreement replaces several programs that were run by the now-closed USAID.
The agreement will send US funding directly to the Kenyan government instead of NGOs. Over time, the Kenyan government will take over paying health workers who were first funded by the US. Kenya has also pledged to spend more on health, investing over $850 million in five years.
President William Ruto said the partnership will help Kenya build a stronger and more resilient healthcare system. This includes better equipment, higher quality medical supplies, more healthcare workers, and expanded health insurance.
US officials said other African countries are expected to sign similar deals soon. However, Nigeria and South Africa are unlikely to participate due to political differences with Trump.
The closure of USAID faced heavy criticism and led to the loss of hundreds of global health programs focused on maternal care, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS support.
