Kenya will have to re think its healthcare financing strategy after the United States pulled out of the World Health Organisation, a move that might deny Kenya the much needed funding.
With significant ramifications for Kenya’s health system, the United States’ decision to leave the World Health Organization (WHO) has aroused international alarm.
The United States, one of the biggest donors to WHO, supplied around 15% of its financing, with a major portion going toward public health initiatives in low- and middle-income nations like Kenya.
In order to fight infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria as well as other public health issues including non-communicable diseases, Kenya has mostly depended on WHO-backed initiatives.
There will probably be a financing gap as a result of the U.S. withdrawal, endangering important projects like pandemic preparedness and mother and child health programs.
The President William Ruto UHC Initiative, for example, which works closely with WHO, might experience interruptions.
This could undermine efforts to reduce cases such as malaria prevalence, particularly in vulnerable regions like Western Kenya, where the disease remains endemic.
The timing of the withdrawal, amidst global efforts to strengthen pandemic preparedness, is concerning. Kenya, like other African nations, benefited from WHO’s guidance and coordination during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reduced funding could slow the development of regional centers for disease control and limit Kenya’s access to resources, technical expertise, and early warning systems for future outbreaks.
Local healthcare providers, already stretched thin, could face additional challenges if WHO-supported initiatives falter. Programs targeting vaccine delivery, nutritional support, and disease surveillance risk scaling back, potentially reversing years of progress in improving public health outcomes.
In response, health experts are urging African nations, including Kenya, to diversify their funding sources and strengthen regional health alliances. The African Union’s Africa CDC and philanthropic organizations may need to fill the gap left by reduced U.S. contributions to WHO.
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, but policymakers will need to assess the potential impact and explore alternative partnerships to safeguard the country’s health systems.
