By Mitchell Ann Adhiambo and Aines Wangila, Kakamega
The abrupt slashing of USAID funding has struck a deep, painful chord across Kenya, a nation that, for decades, has depended on this lifeline to sustain its most vulnerable communities
A landmark international report has warned that the abrupt halt of funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) could lead to over 14 million preventable deaths globally by 2030, including 4.5 million children under the age of five years if the current cuts are not reversed.
Published on June 30, this year, in The Lancet, the report has sent shockwaves through the global health community, with Kenya emerging as one of the most severely affected countries.
According to Professor Hudson, one of the report’s lead authors, the scale of the impending crisis is comparable to a global pandemic or war. “It would be a crisis brought about by a conscious and avoidable policy choice,” he said.
The study, which analyzed data from 133 low- and middle-income countries between 2001 and 2021, found that USAID-supported health interventions saved an estimated 91.8 million lives over two decades, including 30.4 million children under five.
These efforts led to a 65% drop in HIV/AIDS-related deaths, a 51% decrease in malaria deaths, a 50% reduction in deaths due to neglected tropical diseases, and a 32% decline in child mortality.
As the world’s largest donor of development and humanitarian aid, USAID has played a critical role in sub-Saharan Africa, which received the largest share of its funding. Kenya alone received over $324 million in USAID aid in 2023, funding essential health programs, medicines, and staff salaries.
However, the effects of the funding cuts are already being felt across Kenya. According to Kenyans.co.ke, malaria control efforts in counties like Busia and Migori have stalled, with indoor spraying campaigns suspended and more than 40% of scheduled insecticide-treated nets undelivered.
In Turkana, where over 77% of residents live below the poverty line, cuts to food aid have heightened hunger and malnutrition risks.
The Stawisha Pwani project which had provided maternal health and reproductive services along Kenya’s coast was abruptly terminated, leaving thousands of women without access to prenatal care, HIV testing, or contraception. “I didn’t receive any health services. There were no doctors on duty,” one expectant mother said via SMS in a recent survey.
The cuts have also hit health workers hard. A survey by Jacaranda Health reveals that 61% of frontline health workers have been laid off since the funding ended.
Most of them were specialists in HIV and maternal health. Clinics are now overwhelmed, struggling with long queues, staff shortages, and dwindling supplies of essential drugs such as antiretrovirals, contraceptives, iron supplements, and malaria medicines.
After the cuts, more than $324 million in USAID-funded projects in Kenya have been affected.
These include $47 million from the Kenya Health Partnerships for Quality Services (KHPQS), $218 million from the USAID Supply Chain Strengthening Program, and $23 million from the Tujitegemee OVC and DREAMS initiatives, which supported orphans and vulnerable adolescents.
One of the most devastating closures was the USAID-funded Tujenge Jamii project, which served Nakuru and surrounding counties. Until its abrupt shutdown in early 2025, the program had reached over 20,000 key populations, provided ART to nearly 42,000 clients, and distributed 12,000 HIV self-test kits. Its closure has left thousands without life-saving treatment.
A nationwide survey conducted by Jacaranda Health involving over 6,000 mothers and 500 frontline healthcare workers across 23 counties has revealed a disturbing decline in access to essential health services following the USAID funding cuts.
The findings show that 42% of mothers experienced longer waiting times at health facilities, while 18.6 % of HIV-positive women were unable to renew their antiretroviral medication.
Additionally, 61 percent of health workers reported that their colleagues had been retrenched due to funding shortages, leading to staffing gaps in critical service areas.
The survey also highlighted an acute shortage of essential medical supplies, including antiretrovirals (ARVs), iron supplements, and malaria medication, threatening the health of thousands who depend on these life-saving interventions.
The report projects that 1.7 million additional deaths could occur in 2025 alone if the funding is not restored. Countries with low GDP, high inequality, and fragile health systems—like Kenya—are expected to suffer the most.
While the Kenyan government has pledged to increase health spending in the national budget, analysts argue that the gap left by USAID is too large to bridge in the short term. Counties like Kilifi are exploring ways to absorb retrenched health workers into their local payrolls, but funding constraints persist.
Kenya stands to lose millions of dollars in critical health and humanitarian aid, including support for HIV/AIDS programs under PEPFAR, malaria efforts under the President’s Malaria Initiative, and nutrition programs targeting children and mothers in arid regions.
Much of the USAID aid was used to finance basic healthcare services and if this support vanishes, it could lead to a spike in maternal mortality, worsening sanitation, and food insecurity.
Meanwhile, global health advocates are urging the U.S. government to reconsider the cuts. Among them is philanthropist Bill Gates, who told reporters in June, “I will make a strong case that the U.S. should stay involved.”
