A new era of health data sharing in US foreign aid strategy
The US administration is implementing a new strategy that conditions foreign aid on access to health data. While a $1.7 billion agreement has been signed with Uganda, a similar process in Kenya has been taken to court.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has launched a new foreign policy strategy that requires countries receiving aid to grant access to their citizens' medical data, with the goal of reducing foreign aid.
According to GZERO Media, the US has signed agreements with 36 countries to date under this new strategy. The agreement signed with Uganda in December 2025 provides $1.7 billion in funding over five years to combat HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. In return, Uganda has agreed to allow the US access to nine different health data systems for seven years.
In Kenya, a similar $1.6 billion health agreement was taken to court due to concerns over the protection of personal data. The Kenyan Court of Appeal issued a ruling on October 13, 2026, approving the implementation of the agreement. While the Trump administration argues that these practices aim to reduce countries' dependence on foreign aid, experts maintain their reservations regarding the commercial value of the data and privacy rights.