Kenyan Court Halts $1.6 Billion U.S.-Kenya Health Deal Over Data Breach Concerns A Kenyan High Court has suspended the implementation of a $1.6 billion health cooperation agreement between Kenya and the United States, citing risks of medical data breaches. The five-year framework, signed on December 4, 2024, aimed to support Kenya’s push for universal health coverage but faced criticism over potential unauthorized transfer of sensitive health data abroad. On December 11, Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued a conservatory order blocking the Kenyan government and its agents from sharing or disseminating medical, epidemiological, or personal health data under the agreement. The ruling followed a legal challenge by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK), which argued that the deal lacked public participation and exposed citizens to irreversible privacy violations. COFEK’s petition warned that once data is transferred, Kenyan regulators would have no authority to oversee or recall it, raising concerns about misuse, stigma, and long-term privacy risks. The court’s decision halts the agreement pending further review.