Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday called the US decision to cut foreign aid “a wake-up call” for Kenya and Africa to utilize local resources to fund health services. 

Uhuru said that Africans should stop lamenting over US President Donald Trump’s decisions, which prioritize the interests of his people, and instead find ways to finance the continent’s health services.

Health experts have warned that Trump’s move could disrupt vital healthcare programs, particularly those addressing HIV and healthcare governance, which are now on hold. 

Affected initiatives include the United Society Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (Usawa) program and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). 

Trump also withdrew the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing it of mismanaging the Covid-19 pandemic and promoting China’s disinformation. However, he has suggested the US may rejoin WHO in the future.

Yesterday, Uhuru urged Kenya and other African nations to end their over-reliance on foreign aid to finance critical programs like health services.

He was speaking at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit at the Pride Inn Paradise Beach Hotel in Mombasa County. 

“Whether we like it or not, resources to fund our health programs must come from ourselves. We must begin reprioritizing what is important for us as Africans and where our resources should be allocated,” he said.

Concrete intervention 

On Tuesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa tasked departments and directorates to develop concrete interventions to mitigate the impact of U.S. budget cuts on health programs.

The CS acknowledged that the executive order by US President Donald Trump significantly affects health financing  and is seeking measures to sustain essential programs.

“As a ministry, I have tasked various state departments to map out what is the impact of the executive order in terms of finances, human resources, and diseases and have a concrete way forward in terms of interventions, which will be shared with the Cabinet and the president and have the way forward on matters of interventions,” she said. 

The summit organised by the Ministry of Health, Jumuiya Ya Kaunti Za Pwani (JKP), and the University of Nebraska brought together health experts from seven countries in Eastern Africa.

Yesterday, Uhuru emphasized that it was pointless to lament the withdrawal of US funding for health, stating that Trump has no obligation to give anything.

“He has no reason to give anything. We don’t pay taxes in America,” said Uhuru, urging Africans to become self-reliant. He stressed that it was time to utilize local resources for “the right thing, not the wrong thing.”

Uhuru further stated that Africa must prepare to tackle future challenges by funding its own research, vaccine manufacturing, and other health initiatives.

He also called on African nations to end armed conflicts that drain resources on weapons, diverting funds from essential health programs that could protect communities from diseases.

Uhuru concluded that ending wars and redirecting resources should be Africa’s top priority.

He said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Africa managed to vaccinate its people after significant struggle, stressing the need to prepare for future health challenges. By Patrick Beja, The Standard