Relief for Employees as Trump Waives Order to Freeze Select USAID Programs

President Donald Trump’s administration has announced a limited waiver of the 90-day “Stop Work Order,” which halted several programs funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in several countries including Kenya.

Several Kenyan employees working under select programs can now breathe a sigh of relief following the waiver of the Stop Work Order which allows the resumption of the programs.

At least 568 employees sent home in Homa Bay County were asked to resume work immediately on Friday, February 7.

The limited waiver by the US government temporarily resuscitates its HIV/AIDS initiative, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which supports life-saving HIV care and treatment as well as the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services.

According to a document released by the US Department of State through the Global Health Security and Diplomacy, activities approved under the PEPFAR 90-day limited waiver include HIV testing services for all populations, and HIV care & treatment services for all persons living with the disease.

It further includes laboratory support, and supply chain management for the procurement of HIV medicines and other commodities to prevent stock-outs in national HIV programs.

On the other hand, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be offered only to pregnant and breastfeeding women during the pause of US foreign assistance. 

Salaries for health workers, laboratory, and supply chain staff necessary to carry out these specific activities are also included in the waiver.

People other than those who are pregnant and breastfeeding who may be at risk of HIV infection cannot be however offered PEPFAR-funded PrEP until further notice.

Health workers in Kenya resume to work

At the Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital Friday morning, a partial resumption of HIV-related services was underway after the health workers reported to duty following the issuance of the limited waiver.

An internal memo by the County’s Chief Officer for Medical Services, Dr. Kevin Osuri clarified that only four categories of Human Resource for health have been directed to report to work with effect from the 7th of February to the 19th of April 2025.

“We’ve brought back a good chunk of them, about 568. A number of them have not been approved for this waiver period. It’s still a big shock and a big bump on the system on the healthcare system,” he said.

Onyango Gideon on his part said, “A short relief. Let me say so because we do not know what will happen after the 19^th of April.”

Also Read: Catholic Church, KU & M-Kopa Among Top USAID Beneficiaries in Kenya [List]

However, Dr. Osuri confirmed that the waiver, which lapsed on April 19, 2025, has left a huge staffing gap and uncertainty over the other programs that remain frozen.

Amidst the uncertainty he termed the freeze as an opportunity for the country to bolster domestic Health financing strategies.

“Solutions from national government, solutions from agencies like NSDCC, agencies like CoG and County governments to see what happens next in terms of if this waiver period ends if it is not extended then are we in a capacity to take up these services on our own and continue to serve our people?” Dr. Osuri posed.

Meanwhile, Kisumu County’s chief officer for medical services Dr Lusi Ojwang’ has confirmed that plans to wean off donor funding have been underway long before Trump’s executive order was issued.

Dr Ojwang’ noted in a statement that integration of HIV services in level two and level three facilities will continue.

USAID funding suspended

However, he clarified that the waiver means that staff who had been affected by the executive order in the affected facilities will be back to work but will be stationed in the outpatient department.

The county plans to employ special strategies to avert instances where some persons living with HIV will fail to go for their drugs out of fear of being stigmatized.

The new development comes after thousands of USAID Kenya employees were sent home abruptly following a directive issued by the agency’s Senior Procurement Executive Jimi J. Rodgers halting ongoing work on various USAID’s initiatives.

Also Read: USAID Explains Employees Who Will Be Spared in Mass Firings Worldwide

This pause impacted all funding instruments, including grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts, while also suspending new funding opportunities.

Additionally, the notice imposed a freeze on issuing new awards, requests for proposals (RFPs), applications (RFAs), or Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs).

These activities, USAID said, would remain suspended until reviewed and approved by the administration.

The agency’s programs affected in Kenya included PEPFAR, Tujenge Jamii (UTJ), Nuru Ya Mtoto and Fahari Ya Jamii (FYJ) projects.

Many workers at county hospitals were sent home after the hospitals sent work suspension memos instructing them not to report to work until further notice.

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