The governments of the United States of America and Uganda have committed funds and signed a five-year $2.3 billion bilateral health cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU).
This ends weeks of public scepticism and debate over the future of US–Uganda health cooperation. According to the joint statement, the MoU is designed to save lives and strengthen Uganda’s health system, with particular focus on HIV/Aids, TB, malaria, maternal and child health, polio eradication, global health security, human resources, disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness.
A central feature of the agreement is the gradual transition of health commodities procurement from the US government to the government of Uganda over the next five years.
The transition aims to reinforce Uganda’s supply chain systems and institutional capacity. Frontline health workers currently funded by the US government will also be mapped to equivalent Ugandan civil service cadres and progressively absorbed into the government of Uganda’s payroll.
In addition, the US government will make major investments in health data and disease surveillance systems, supporting improvements in data capture, electronic medical records (EMRs), and interoperability between existing digital platforms and the national data warehouse to enhance global health security and laboratory capacity.
The investments are expected to significantly advance Uganda’s broader digital health agenda.
“The MoU advances the US–Uganda bilateral relationship and supports Uganda to develop a resilient health system that prevents the spread of emerging and existing infectious diseases globally,” the Mission said in a statement.
Under the MoU, the United States will provide up to $1.7 billion in support between 2026 and 2030, while Uganda has pledged to increase domestic health expenditure by more than $500 million to gradually assume greater financial responsibility.
Faith-based health facilities, which play a key role in Uganda’s service delivery, will also benefit. The Ugandan government will support them through performance-based service agreements, increased primary health care (PHC) grants, and digitization and community health insurance initiatives. US Ambassador William W. Popp said the agreement represents a “significant commitment” by both nations to co-invest in shared global health priorities.
“Today, we are building on prior successes and making a significant shift toward promoting self-reliance in the health sector through strong community health systems, clear performance metrics, and a foundational commitment to data systems and global health security that will prevent and stop outbreaks from threatening Uganda, the United States and the world,” Popp said.
Uganda’s Finance minister Matia Kasaija reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increasing domestic health spending.
“Uganda notes the United States government’s commitment to support Uganda with a budget allocation of $1.7 billion for 2026–2030,” Kasaija said.
“The Government of Uganda also recognizes and commits to gradually increasing its own budgetary contribution to more than $500 million over the same period, as the US budget support decreases.”
Uganda’s signing of the deal comes days after Kenya signed a similar agreement, a move that sparked regional debate over data security, health information management, and foreign involvement in national health systems.
