NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 13 – The Court of Appeal has cleared the way for the implementation of Kenya’s health cooperation framework with the United States, overturning High Court orders that had blocked the programme over constitutional concerns.

📻 Breaking It Down

A three-judge bench set aside conservatory orders issued on December 19, 2025, ruling that the public interest in maintaining essential healthcare services outweighed the risks associated with allowing the programme to proceed while the legal dispute remains unresolved.

The judges warned that continued suspension of the framework could disrupt critical healthcare services, including treatment for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), malaria and other infectious diseases, as well as immunisation programmes.

“The lives of citizens who depend on treatment for HIV, TB, and malaria, provided under the Framework risk being negatively and irredeemably impacted,” the judges ruled.

📌 What You Need to Know

“Some even risk losing their lives which is an irreversible consequence,” they added.

The framework was signed by Kenya and the United States on December 4, 2025, and is linked to the provision of essential medicines, healthcare support and other services relied upon by millions of Kenyans.

The government, through the Attorney General and the Cabinet Secretary for Health, had moved to suspend the High Court orders pending the hearing and determination of its intended appeal.

In its application, the government warned that blocking the agreement threatened healthcare programmes serving approximately 1.4 million Kenyans.

It argued that interruptions to HIV and tuberculosis treatment could contribute to drug resistance, exposing patients to further complications and creating broader public health risks.

The government also cited the potential disruption of immunisation services, healthcare staffing, medical supply chains and systems supporting service delivery.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya