Kenya has taken a significant step toward accelerating its Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals through strengthened collaboration with the United States government. The renewed partnership seeks to boost sustainable health financing, enhance critical health sectors, and advance global health security.
At the center of discussions was the need to secure long-term strategies for financing UHC while reinforcing essential health services that directly impact millions of Kenyans. A priority area of the engagement focused on global health threats, with both countries agreeing to deepen cooperation under the Global Health Security (GHS) framework. This recognition of Kenya as a priority partner highlights the country’s central role in strengthening regional and international health systems.
Kenya’s health leadership reaffirmed commitment to ongoing sector reforms, emphasizing digitisation of health systems to accelerate service delivery. Digitisation is expected to improve efficiency, transparency, and patient outcomes. Equally, strong measures are being introduced to tackle fraud within the Social Health Authority (SHA) and eliminate unqualified medical practitioners who undermine healthcare standards.
The dialogue further explored supply chain sustainability and the transition of programmes into domestic systems. These efforts are designed to reduce dependency on external support while ensuring continuity of essential services. Both parties underscored the importance of aligning initiatives with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17, which calls for strengthened partnerships to achieve sustainable development, particularly through Kenya’s Taifa Care Model.
The partnership builds on a long-standing history of cooperation between Kenya and the United States in the fight against malaria, HIV, and other infectious diseases. Successes in disease surveillance and epidemic response have already demonstrated the impact of joint efforts. Moving forward, a Joint Technical Working Group will be established to coordinate strategies, drive implementation, and ensure that health sector reforms remain on track.
This renewed collaboration represents more than a bilateral agreement; it is a shared commitment to resilient, inclusive, and sustainable health systems. By combining resources, technical expertise, and innovation, Kenya and the US aim to bring UHC closer to reality while safeguarding populations against future global health challenges.
With these developments, Kenya’s vision for equitable, affordable, and accessible healthcare gains new momentum, ensuring that UHC is not just a policy ambition but a lived reality for all citizens.
