Uganda has secured a massive health agreement with the United States just days after Kenya signed a similar deal.
The government of Uganda signed a five-year, Ksh297 billion ($2.3 billion) health cooperation agreement with the U.S. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
This comes barely a week after Kenya inked a Ksh207 billion ($1.6 billion) deal on December 4, 2025.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the U.S. plans to provide up to Ksh220 billion ($1.7 billion), while Uganda commits to increasing its domestic health spending by over Ksh64 billion ($500 million).
The funds will support programmes for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, polio eradication, disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness.
U.S. Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp described the agreement as a shift toward self-reliance.
"This agreement represents a significant commitment by the United States and Uganda to co-invest in our shared global health priorities," Ambassador Popp stated at the signing ceremony with Finance Minister Matia Kasaija.
The deal also includes support for faith-based healthcare providers and emphasises transitioning health workers to Uganda's government payroll.
Uganda's Finance Minister Matia Kasaija acknowledged the partnership's importance.
"This collaboration will yield not only disease-specific outcomes but also significant improvements in national systems, institutions, and workforce capacity," Minister Kasaija said.
The agreement requires Uganda to gradually take over the procurement of medical commodities currently handled by the U.S. government.
It also invests heavily in data systems and electronic medical records to strengthen disease surveillance capabilities.
However, Kenya's similar deal has sparked controversy over data sharing concerns, with the High Court suspending implementation following a legal challenge by the Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, Susan Burns, clarified that only aggregate statistical data, not private patient information, will be shared.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described these bilateral agreements as part of the Trump Administration's "America First Global Health Strategy" aimed at reducing dependency on U.S. foreign assistance.
The U.S. remains Uganda's most significant global health partner, having collaborated in the health sector for over 60 years.
