US Will Support Kenya to Enhance its Health Security
Following the COVID pandemic, the world has become acutely aware of the importance of Health Security and Sovereignty.
In that regard, USAID will provide USD 2.3 million to support Revital Healthcare in Kenya in order to produce locally rapid diagnostic kits for HIV, malaria, dengue, hepatitis B and C, and pregnancy. The plant is expected to output 240 million tests annually and ambitions to distribute to the region.
The US is also working with the Ministry of Health of Kenya to realize eHealth project. The project entails connecting health centres across Kenya to the digital superhighway and to provide them with reliable electricity.
In that regard, USAID is providing USD 31 million to upgrade digital superhighway while Power Africa is providing USD 4 million to implement PV plants as part of the Africa’s Health Electrification and Telecommunications Alliance.
Th US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is partnering with the Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEEMRI) to strengthen the Kenya Applied Science Hub. The Hub will pursue collaboration in the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and other major health risks.
The US DFC is loaning USD 10 million i Hawa Tele, a Kenyan company which provides medical oxygen to medical centres in Africa. The DFC took part in two rounds of equity financing in Kasha Global totaling an investing of USD 4 million. Kasha Global provides personal care and beauty products to low-incomee women in Kenya and Rwanda.
For 2024, US has budgeted USD 12.9 million to support KEMRI with the joint efforts of the US National Institue of Health and Department of Defense. In FY2023, NIH provided 250 grants to US organizations working with Kenya, and it is worth highlighting that 90 of these collaboration projects involved KEMRI.
Under the flagship President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (#PEPFAR), the US has provided more than USD 7 billion to fight AIDS in Kenya since 2003. Kenya has set itself the goal to end HIV as a health threat by 2027.
#PEPFAR financing goes mainly towards helping 1.3 million Kenyan infected with HIV and HIV prevention programs. For FY2025, US is committing KSH 43 billion (USD 320 million) to PEPFAR in Kenya.