Michael Gwarisa
Senegal has joined the growing list of African countries to sign a Bilateral Health Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States, the US Department of State has announced.
The agreement, valued at US$90 million, will cover a five-year period from 2026 to 2030. According to the US Embassy in Senegal, the deal represents a major step in the longstanding partnership between the two countries to strengthen Senegal’s health system, prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and improve health outcomes for its citizens.
“This MoU builds on more than 20 years of U.S.–Senegal health cooperation and reflects our shared commitment to greater Senegalese self-reliance through strong, locally led health systems,” the embassy said in a statement.
Signed on March 13 in Dakar, the MoU lays out a shared vision to save lives, expand sustainable health financing, and support priority health areas including HIV/AIDS, malaria, disease surveillance, and outbreak preparedness.
Under the agreement, the US Department of State, in coordination with Congress, will provide up to $63 million over five years to support key health programs, digital health initiatives, and technical assistance. Senegal has committed an additional $27.3 million, bringing its total investment in new health funding to $71.4 million over the next five years. This funding will strengthen essential services, procurement systems, human resources, and digital health infrastructure.
The MoU guarantees full funding for frontline medical workers and commodities in the first year. Responsibilities such as procurement of health commodities and funding for health workers will gradually transition from US support to Senegalese oversight, ensuring long-term sustainability.
The agreement does not transfer all US-funded programs immediately, reduce the US commitment, or provide access to private patient data. Data protections will continue to be governed by Senegalese law.
This partnership advances global health goals while supporting Senegal’s aim of a resilient, self-reliant health system. It also reduces the risk of disease outbreaks reaching the United States and safeguards decades of progress made in the fight against infectious diseases.
