US ends Baylor Uganda contract

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The United States Government has ceased the services of Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Uganda (Baylor-Uganda). This development comes a month after the United States government instituted a three-month halt on their foreign programmes, a move that they said was meant to realign their foreign policy.

In a notice dated 26 February 2025 and signed by Adam Cox, the Deputy Director Office of Acquisition and Assistance at USAID, they note that the award is being terminated for convenience and in the interests of the U.S. government.

Cox further says the directive to close was made by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his capacity as the Acting Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Secretary Rubio and PTDO Deputy Administrator Marocco have determined your award is not aligned with Agency priorities and decided that continuing this program is not in the national interest. The decision to terminate this individual award is a policy determination vested in the Acting Administrator and the person performing the duties and functions of the Deputy Administrator. I have been delegated authority to issue this termination notice”, it reads in part.

The entity, which has been one of the largest providers of child and adolescent HIV programs in the country, was further directed to immediately cease all activities, terminate all subawards and contracts, and avoid incurring any additional obligations.

In addition to  HIV prevention, care, and treatment services, Baylor has also been offering reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health care, tuberculosis (TB) care and management of non-communicable disease (NCDs).

The entity has been operating in eleven cities and forty-four districts. In many of these areas, the NGO has been in charge of conducting free medical male circumcision.

However, while this programme is being closed, the United States has been offering waivers for urgent health programmes to continue operating even before the lapse of the three-month review.

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