U.S. and Burundi Formalize Five-Year Health Cooperation MOU

On February 6, the United States and the Government of Burundi formalized a five-year bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Under the terms of the MOU, the U.S. Department of State plans to allocate over $129 million across the next five years. This funding is intended to bolster Burundi's initiatives against HIV/AIDS and malaria, and to enhance its capacities for disease surveillance and outbreak response.

The Government of Burundi has committed to increasing its domestic health expenditures by $26 million over the five-year duration of the MOU. This commitment aims to improve the self-reliance of its national health system.

Key Objectives and Strategic Goals

This agreement builds upon previous U.S. efforts in combating HIV/AIDS and malaria in Burundi. The MOU's specific objectives include assisting Burundi in continuing treatment for 97 percent of its HIV-positive population and reducing malaria-related deaths among children under five by half.

The overall goal of the MOU is to fortify Burundi's infectious disease management through an integrated service delivery model. This model is designed to improve cost efficiency, healthcare quality, and patient retention, ultimately contributing to Burundi's ability to independently address infectious disease outbreaks.

Broader Global Health Context

As of February 6, the State Department had signed a total of 16 bilateral global health MOUs. These agreements collectively represent over $18.3 billion in new health funding, comprising more than $11.18 billion in U.S. assistance and $7.12 billion in co-investment from recipient countries.