U.S GOV’T COMMITS UGX 8.54 TRILLION TO STRENGTHEN UGANDA’S HEALTH SECTOR

Michael Cleverley, the Acting U.S. Ambassador to Uganda says the Funding is critical in strengthening the country’s relationships and improving healthcare systems.

By Dramadri Federick

Arua City

The United States government has committed US$2.3 billion, equivalent to approximately 8.54 Trillion Shillings, to Uganda under a five-year Health Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening the country’s health sector, particularly in areas affected by major public health and humanitarian challenges.

Michael Cleverley, the Acting U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, announced the commitment during a media briefing at Imvepi Refugee Settlement in Terego District, shortly after a stakeholders’ engagement on the performance and impact of U.S.-funded programmes and projects in Uganda’s refugee-hosting districts.

Cleverley said the agreement between the U.S. government and Uganda’s Ministry of Health includes provisions to support healthcare workers in refugee-hosting districts.

“We have a Health Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. government and Uganda’s Ministry of Health. It’s a very large investment. It is going to be US$2.3 billion for over five years and has a provision for funding healthcare workers in the refugee-hosting districts.”

The commitment comes at a time when Uganda is facing declining humanitarian funding amid a growing refugee population and increasing humanitarian needs.

By June 2026, Uganda’s refugee population had surpassed two million people, according to UNHCR’s figures cited in the briefing, while the country continued to receive new arrivals. The situation has placed additional pressure on health and other essential services in refugee-hosting communities.

The Minister of State for Primary Health Care Dr. Charles Ayume confirmed the receipt of the U.S. commitment, saying the funding should help address gaps in humanitarian and health support.

Ayume challenged implementing partners to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of the funds and to prioritise impactful and sustainable projects. He also urged development partners to expand their support to include climate-change interventions, noting that environmental pressures are increasingly contributing to displacement and vulnerability.

UNHCR Uganda Deputy Country Representative Bernard Inkoom said the agency has been forced to scale down some operations after receiving only 27 percent of the funding required for Uganda’s 2026 refugee response.

“The total funding requirement for Uganda’s refugee response for 2026 is US$850 million, and this is supposed to be shared across 78 partners. If this pace of funding continues, this will mean only 27 percent of the funding need is funded,” Inkoom said.

Cleverley said the U.S. health investment will focus on strengthening the capacity of health personnel, improving health systems and infrastructure, enhancing medical equipment and diagnostic capacity, and addressing diseases of public health importance.

“This funding will address not only HIV/AIDS but also other aspects of public health importance, including maternal and child health, malaria, tuberculosis, among others,” Cleverley said.

The Acting Ambassador took a guided tour of the health systems in the Imvepi Refugee Settlement in Terego district.

The latest commitment comes on top of significant U.S. emergency assistance to Uganda and the wider region during the 2026 Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak and humanitarian response.

According to a U.S. government fact sheet, more than US$370 million, equivalent to about 1.37 trillion shillings, has been committed to the regional Ebola response.

The funding supports laboratory systems, disease surveillance and contact tracing, border health screening, emergency operations, infection prevention and control, logistics, community engagement and technical expertise.

The United States has also announced US$350 million, approximately 1.30 trillion shillings, in Ebola response and humanitarian assistance for Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In addition, US$75 million, equivalent to about 278.55 billion shillings, was provided specifically in 2026 to support Uganda’s refugee response and address acute humanitarian needs.

Wilfred Saka, the Terego District Chairperson, applauded the U.S. government for its investments in Uganda’s health and humanitarian sectors, particularly in refugee-hosting districts.

“I can ably affirm that the U.S. funding has done work in the refugee-hosting districts, especially in the health sector, through capacity building, equipment and improving our treatment modules. Sometimes the new arrivals come with their own treatment modules, but through these funds we have been able to ensure all align with Uganda’s treatment modules.”

Uganda continues to host more than two million refugees, placing additional pressure on services in refugee-hosting communities. West Nile Region hosts 70% of the country’s 2 million refugee population.

The Refugee Desk Officer for West Nile, Kebirungi Jolly, said the region hosts four refugee settlements, with about 90 percent of the refugees coming from South Sudan. She said U.S. humanitarian support has helped Uganda respond to the growing needs of refugees and host communities amid a significant funding gap.

“We sincerely thank the U.S. government for standing with Uganda at this critical time. Even when there are several humanitarian demands elsewhere in the world, they have shown solidarity. As a country, Uganda is committed to its open-door policy and is appealing for more support from partners as the number of refugees and self-settled asylum seekers continues to mount pressure on services.”

The U.S.-Uganda health partnership also supports public health emergency preparedness, laboratory systems, disease surveillance, border health security, emergency operations and workforce development.