Kenya’s struggling healthcare system has received a timely lifeline — a Sh3.8 billion grant from American billionaire and philanthropist Warren Buffett — easing financial pressure after devastating aid cuts by the Trump administration.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced the funding during the release of the latest national Budget estimates. The grant, provided through the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, will go directly to the State Department of Medical Services, covering 18.1% of its Sh20.93 billion project budget for the 2025/2026 financial year.
“This is one of the most significant external grants Kenya has received in recent years,” said Mbadi, emphasizing its critical role in stabilizing the country’s fragile health infrastructure.
Buffett’s donation comes at a moment of acute crisis. The abrupt halt of major projects by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), following an executive order by former President Donald Trump, led to severe shortages in vital medical supplies — including life-saving HIV drugs and vaccines.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had previously warned that the aid termination could cause Kenya to run out of antiretroviral treatments, placing tens of thousands of lives at risk.
Alarmed by the repercussions, the Kenyan government estimated a Sh25 billion funding gap, with an urgent need for at least Sh2 billion to stabilize immediate supply chains. Buffett’s intervention directly addresses this emergency, not just symbolizing philanthropy, but functioning as a crucial stopgap to prevent widespread public health breakdown.
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation has a long history of supporting reproductive health, especially in low-income regions, and has advocated globally for expanded access to contraception and safe abortion services.
Warren Buffett, now 94 and the sixth-richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of Sh20.8 trillion ($161 billion), built his fortune through decades of strategic investing — most notably transforming Berkshire Hathaway into one of the world’s most powerful holding companies.
Buffett has frequently clashed with Trump over trade policy, and his grant can be seen as a powerful counter-response to the ripple effects of the former administration’s isolationist stance.
As public appeals mounted for wealthy donors to step in where governments had withdrawn, Buffett’s contribution underscores the rising influence of private capital in addressing global health challenges.
His Sh3.8 billion grant not only plugs a critical shortfall but also reaffirms the essential role of philanthropy in safeguarding public health — particularly when political decisions leave vulnerable populations exposed.
