By BUATRE George 

Kampala, Uganda- The governments of Uganda and the United States have officially launched a Joint Health Steering Committee (JHSC) to oversee the implementation of a five-year $2.3 billion health partnership aimed at strengthening Uganda’s healthcare system and combating infectious diseases.

The committee, inaugurated during its first meeting in Kampala on Thursday, will supervise the execution of the Health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two countries in December 2025. The agreement provides for a planned co-investment of more than $1.7 billion from the United States and $577 million from the Government of Uganda over the next five years.

The Joint Health Steering Committee is co-chaired by U.S. Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp and Uganda’s Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng .

The partnership is expected to focus on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio, while also improving maternal and child health services, strengthening health systems, and building institutional and workforce capacity to enhance Uganda’s long-term self-reliance in the health sector.

Under the implementation framework, the United States is expected to provide $410 million in health assistance during the first year alone, alongside Uganda’s corresponding financial contribution and expanded government-to-government cooperation.

The launch of the committee signals a major step in operationalizing the bilateral health agreement and establishing a formal governance structure to ensure accountability, transparency, and alignment with national health priorities.

According to the joint statement, the committee will provide strategic oversight of the implementation plan, monitor performance and risks, coordinate collaboration between both governments and development partners, and strengthen financial accountability mechanisms in the health sector.

The initiative is also aligned with the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which emphasizes strengthening global disease prevention systems through bilateral cooperation and locally sustainable healthcare investments.

Speaking during the inaugural meeting, Ambassador Popp described the committee as a critical mechanism for advancing long-term health cooperation between Uganda and the United States.

“The Joint Health Steering Committee underscores the strategic importance of this partnership,” Ambassador Popp said. “It advances the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy by addressing disease threats at their source, strengthening bilateral cooperation, promoting American innovation, and building sustainable local health systems that can graduate to self-sufficiency.”

Minister Aceng reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to building a resilient and sustainable healthcare system capable of serving all citizens effectively.

“This partnership represents Uganda's determination to build a sustainable, resilient health system that serves all Ugandans,” she said. “Through the Joint Health Steering Committee, we will ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with our National Development Plan IV and Vision 2040.”

Key priority areas under the partnership include ensuring adequate support for frontline healthcare workers and medical commodities, strengthening national health data systems, transitioning technical support to government-led functions, and implementing a performance-based financing approach tied to agreed health indicators and benchmarks.

Uganda’s planned investment of more than $577 million over the next five years was highlighted as a demonstration of shared responsibility and national ownership of health sector reforms.

Both governments said the success of the partnership would be measured not only through disease-specific outcomes, but also by long-term improvements in institutional capacity, health systems resilience, and community health outcomes.

The Joint Health Steering Committee is expected to play a central role in coordinating implementation efforts and ensuring that the partnership delivers sustainable public health gains for both Uganda and the United States.