The funding freeze, announced in January, has left thousands of Kenyans without jobs and threatens critical healthcare services, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
The sudden halt in funding has sparked uncertainty and fear among both healthcare workers and patients.
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CFK Africa’s clinics, which provide essential care in underserved communities, are now overwhelmed as more people seek help after losing access to services previously supported by USAID grants.
“Some patients are now coming into our healthcare clinics asking us if they are going to die,” said Eddah Ogogo, CFK Africa programme lead for clinical services. “They are asking for longer refills for prescription drugs and making plans for what might happen if they cannot continue to get care.”
With USAID-backed projects now in limbo, CFK Africa’s staff face difficult conversations with patients, limited access to data, and an uncertain future for its HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis clinic.
The situation has created widespread panic among vulnerable communities, many of whom relied on USAID-funded programmes for life-saving care.
CFK Africa officials have warned that the funding freeze is destabilising Kenya’s healthcare system, which depended on direct and indirect USAID support.
The crisis has also reignited discussions about the need for the Kenyan government and other NGOs to step in and secure sustainable healthcare solutions.
“There is a lot of misunderstanding on what aid or development work is. To me, it restores dignity, brings out the best in humanity, and lessens suffering, and I think that is missed from a lot of the current news stories on the pullback of aid,” said CFK Africa executive director Jeffrey Okoro.
“We don’t know what will happen next, but we are turning to our partners, reassuring our patients, and staying focused on our mission. At CFK Africa, our communities come first.”
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