By Micah Jonah
February 27, 2026
The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised serious concerns over recent health funding deals between the United States and African countries, highlighting issues around data sharing and pathogen control.
Director-General, Jean Kaseya said on Thursday that African nations are being asked to share sensitive health data and pathogen samples with the US as a condition for receiving funding, without guarantees that vaccines or treatments developed from that data would benefit the countries providing it.
The warning comes after Zimbabwe pulled out of a $367 million five-year agreement with the US, citing unequal terms, while Zambia pushed back on certain clauses of its deal. Kaseya emphasized that Africa CDC respects national sovereignty but has been supporting countries seeking to renegotiate terms or implement agreements in ways that protect their interests.
Kaseya said: “I told all my countries, you have full support from Africa CDC. Even if you want to re-negotiate, we will be there to advise.”
The concerns highlight growing tensions over how the US delivers global health funding under its “America First” strategy, which has reshaped aid distribution and emphasized co-investment by recipient countries.
