Govt Assures Public On Data Privacy In New USD1.6bn Health Deal

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – Kenya has moved to ease growing public concern over data privacy following the signing of a new Health Cooperation Framework and Data Sharing Agreement with the United States, assuring citizens that their personal health information remains fully protected under Kenyan law.

In a statement issued in Washington, D.C., Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Thursday stressed that any health data shared under the agreement will be “de-identified and aggregated” and will remain fully governed by Kenya’s Digital Health Act and Data Protection Act.

“Your health data is a national strategic asset. Your privacy, your security — our responsibility,” Duale said, emphasizing that any data exchange must be approved by both the Directorate of Health Analytics (DHA) and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

The agreement—signed during a ceremony witnessed by President William Ruto—marks the first time the long-standing Kenya–US health partnership is being anchored in formal, legally binding frameworks.

Under the deal, the United States has committed USD 1.6 billion (approximately Sh 220 billion) over the next five years to support Kenya’s transition toward a fully domestically financed, self-reliant health system.

The funds will strengthen HIV, TB and malaria initiatives, laboratory and surveillance capacity, digital health systems, and emergency response programs.

Kenya, in turn, has committed to progressively increasing domestic health financing, injecting up to Sh50 billion annually by 2030 as part of ongoing health financing reforms under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Speaking at the signing ceremony, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the new framework aligns with the America First Global Health Strategy, which prioritizes sustainability, reduced dependency, and stronger government-to-government cooperation.

2031 transition

Rubio noted that the deal marks a shift away from fragmented donor-funded NGO models toward direct bilateral support.

“We are not going to spend billions funding the NGO industrial complex while close and important partners like Kenya have little influence over how healthcare money is spent,” he said.

“Kenya has strong institutions, and we are proud this is the first fully fledged agreement of its kind.”

The US will also expect Kenya to gradually take over responsibility for US-funded health commodities and health workers by 2031, valued at USD 141 million.

The Ministry of Health underscored that the collaboration is firmly anchored in Kenyan legal frameworks, including the Digital Health Act, 2023; the Data Protection Act, 2019; the Health Act, 2017; and other relevant regulations.

The Data Sharing Agreement is time-bound to the duration of the Health Cooperation Framework and will be publicly released to enhance transparency and accountability.

The cooperation framework outlines joint efforts in surveillance and outbreak response, laboratory and diagnostic systems, human resources for health, digital health transformation, strategic commodities management, research and information exchange, and emergency preparedness.

The overarching goal is to transition Kenya to a sustainable, locally owned public health system with significantly reduced donor reliance by 2030.

Duale reiterated that no personal or identifiable health data will be shared with any foreign government or entity.

“Only anonymized, aggregated data may be exchanged — and always under Kenyan supervision,” he said.

“This agreement strengthens our health system without compromising the rights of any Kenyan.”

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to universal health coverage as a flagship pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).