Fortifying Health Systems and Countering Infectious Disease Threats Through the America First Global Health Strategy in Burkina Faso

Today, the United States and Burkina Faso signed a five-year bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that reinforces regional health security in the Sahel while advancing Burkina Faso’s capacity to independently manage infectious disease threats before they reach our shores. This MOU reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting American health security while building resilient, locally led health systems abroad, as outlined in the America First Global Health Strategy.

Through this MOU, working with Congress, the Department of State intends to provide up to $147 million over the next five years to support Burkina Faso’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other infectious diseases, while bolstering disease surveillance and outbreak response capabilities.  Burkina Faso commits to increasing its domestic health expenditures by $107 million, demonstrating significant national ownership of its health system.  The MOU allocates approximately $12 million to global health security initiatives that strengthen community health systems, improve and digitize data reporting, and build laboratory capacity to detect potential pathogens.

This MOU strengthens the region’s capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease threats before they spread regionally or reach the United States.  It integrates longstanding malaria and maternal-child health programs with enhanced community health systems, while emphasizing continued support for frontline community health workers who serve as the foundation of sustainable, locally led health services.

By the end of the MOU period, Burkina Faso will integrate U.S.-funded frontline health care and laboratory workers into its national health workforce, building a resilient, country-owned health system that protects both Burkinabé and American populations from health security threats.

America First Global Health Strategy Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed so far represent over $18.56 billion in new health funding including more than $11.33 billion in U.S. assistance alongside $7.23 billion in co-investment from recipient countries, building on decades of progress fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases around the world.  As of February 25, the State Department has signed 17 bilateral global health MOUs with Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.