Kenya and the US signed a landmark health cooperation deal Thursday that will see Washington invest $1.6 billion in Kenya’s health sector over the next five years, an agreement that President William Ruto described as a major milestone in the country’s push toward universal health care coverage.
The deal, witnessed by Ruto, makes Kenya the first African nation to enter a government-to-government health framework with the United States.
The signing ceremony took place in Washington, DC, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi formally endorsed the framework on behalf of their governments.
Rubio said the US chose Kenya as the inaugural signatory because of its longstanding stability and strong institutions.
He noted that Washington intends to expand such agreements with other countries but added that “the first one we’re going to sign is with Kenya.
“And the reason why is twofold. Number one, because of our close partnership. Number two, because they are highly stable and have strong institutions, both in government and in the health care sector.”
Ruto said the partnership represents a decisive shift in how external health support is delivered, emphasizing that incoming resources will be routed directly through Kenyan government systems to improve efficiency and accountability.
“The signing of the historic Health Cooperation Framework between Kenya and the government of the United States marks a significant strengthening of our commitment to the full actualization of universal health coverage,” he said.
“Under this agreement, the United States will commit $1.6 billion to Kenya over the next five years, resources that will be channeled directly through government institutions, eliminating third-party intermediaries and guaranteeing that support reaches the intended beneficiaries for maximum impact and accountability,” Ruto added.
He said the agreement prioritizes investment in modern medical equipment, the reliable delivery of essential supplies to health facilities, expansion of the health workforce and wider insurance coverage for Kenyans.
The president also thanked Washington for selecting Kenya as the first beneficiary of such an arrangement.
“We express our deep appreciation to the government of the United States, under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, for choosing Kenya as the first nation to sign such a framework.
“This decision reflects growing confidence in the strength, sustainability and reform momentum of our health care systems.”
The cooperation builds on more than 25 years of health-sector engagement between the two countries, during which the US has invested over $7 billion in Kenya through programs targeting HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal health, research and disease surveillance.
(Anadolu Ajansi)
