Kenya Enters Historic Health Agreement with the US Amid Data Concerns

Fri Dec 05 2025 15:12:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Kenya has signed a groundbreaking five-year health pact with the US, focusing on combating infectious diseases. This agreement, however, raises significant concerns about data privacy and the potential access to sensitive health information.

In a landmark deal, Kenya signed a five-year health agreement with the US aimed at combatting infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. The $2.5 billion initiative, praised by US officials, seeks to enhance health transparency. However, it has sparked fears in Kenya regarding potential access to sensitive health data. Health Minister Aden Duale assures that only de-identified data will be shared, as the country prepares for similar agreements with other African nations.

Kenya has signed a historic five-year health agreement with the US, the first such pact since Donald Trump's administration overhauled its foreign aid programme.

The $2.5bn (£1.9bn) deal is aimed at combating infectious diseases in Kenya, with similar agreements expected to be rolled out in other African countries aligned with Trump's broader foreign policy goals.

The government-to-government deal aims to boost transparency and accountability but has raised fears it could give the US real-time access to critical health databases, including sensitive patient information.

Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale sought to allay such fears, saying only de-identified, aggregated data would be shared.

On his first day in office in January, Trump announced a freeze on foreign aid as part of a government spending review, dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and cut billions in aid to poorer countries.

This has led to a drastic reduction in the availability of some drugs in developing countries.

Under the deal with Kenya, the US will contribute $1.7bn, with the Kenyan government covering $850m and gradually taking on more responsibility.

The deal targets the prevention and treatment of HIV/Aids, malaria, and tuberculosis, maternal care, polio eradication and infectious disease outbreak response and preparedness.

Signing the agreement with Kenya's President William Ruto, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described it as a landmark agreement, and referred to Kenya as a longstanding American ally.

He praised Kenya for its role in leading and contributing to the UN-backed mission working to combat powerful gangs in Haiti.

However, some Kenyans are demanding the disclosure of the full agreement, with fears that it would allow the US to view personal medical records such as the HIV status, TB treatment history, and vaccination data of Kenyan patients.

Minister Duale has dismissed such fears, insisting that Kenya's health data remained secure and fully protected by Kenyan laws.

US officials are yet to comment on the data concerns.

A number of other African countries are expected to sign similar agreements by the end of the year, according to US officials.