The Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States have agreed on a $1.2 billion strategic health partnership, the two governments said in a joint statement on Thursday.
According to Reuters, the partnership will run from 2026 to 2031 and includes $900 million in targeted U.S. government assistance and $300 million in “progressively increased domestic health expenditure” by the DRC government, according to the statement.
It will focus on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, polio eradication, epidemiological surveillance, health workforce development, and emergency preparedness and response.
“This structural investment aims to strengthen the resilience of the healthcare system, improve care for the population, and consolidate the country’s healthcare sovereignty,” the DRC ministry said on X.
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The structure of the deal, which requires domestic funding, follows a template the U.S. has used in other African health partnerships, though some of these agreements have faced difficulties.
For example, on Wednesday, Zimbabwe withdrew from talks on a $367 million bilateral health agreement with the U.S., citing concerns over sharing sensitive health data in exchange for financial support.
A government spokesman described the offer as an “unequal exchange.” Late last year, a Kenyan court suspended a health funding deal worth more than $1.6 billion signed with the U.S., pending a case brought by a consumer protection group over the safety of citizens’ health data.
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Image Credit: Local 10 News
