Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on African heads of state to take the recent withdrawal of health funding by US President Donald Trump as a wake-up call.
Speaking at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit, Kenyatta urged leaders to prioritize health and avoid misusing resources.
“I saw some people the other day crying that Trump has withdrawn funding. Why are you crying? It is neither your government, nor your country. He has no reason to give you anything. You don’t pay taxes in America. He is appealing to his people,” he said.
He warned that in case of a pandemic, Africans would be the last to receive support, as developed countries would prioritize their own populations.
“Nobody is going to continue holding out a hand to give you. Whether we like it or not, funding for pandemics must come from ourselves. We need to re-prioritize what is important for us as Africans and allocate resources accordingly,” Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized.
Kenyatta emphasized the need for self-reliance and better resource management to build strong health systems.
“As Africans, we should not wait for others to come to our rescue. We must be prepared for future health challenges because, in times of crisis, developed nations will first take care of their people before supplying vaccines to third-world countries,” he added.
