In 2023, the United States maintained its position as a major contributor to Uganda’s health sector, despite concerns of aid reductions following tensions between the two nations over the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Despite Uganda’s removal from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by the United States, which granted duty-free access to over 1,800 products, substantial support from the American people continued, with a significant portion allocated to health, education, and agriculture.
Notably, 60% of the disbursement in 2023 was directed towards the health sector, with funding from initiatives like PEPFAR and USAID significantly contributing to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, particularly Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT), resulting in millions of Ugandan babies being spared from HIV transmission.
Ambassador William Popp highlighted the diverse areas of US assistance, including health, entrepreneurship, refugees, education, democracy, and agriculture, with less than 2% allocated to security.
Specific health achievements included resuscitating thousands of newborns, enrolling Ugandans on TB preventive therapy, and ensuring access to antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive individuals.
Richard Nelson, USAID Uganda Mission Director, emphasized that over 60% of US funding goes to health-related initiatives, with a focus on addressing high rates of malaria infection through interventions such as distributing mosquito nets, training for indoor residual spraying, and provision of testing and treatment kits.
Additionally, US support extended to promoting democracy and human rights, with funding directed towards civil society organizations (CSOs) for advocacy and legal assistance. However, concerns were raised about CSOs facing pressure from the government.
Key statistics of US-funded initiatives in Uganda included the distribution of mosquito nets, protection of residents from malaria, training for indoor residual spraying, and support for healthcare facilities’ electronic medical records systems, enhancing Uganda’s ability to respond to health threats.
