US and UNICEF seal $25 million one-year pact to keep maternal health supplies flowing
The United States and UNICEF have agreed on a one-year, $25 million deal to continue delivering life-saving maternal and newborn medicines to at least 15 of the world’s poorest nations.
The United States has signed a one-year, $25 million contract with UNICEF to keep providing vital maternal, newborn and child health commodities to a minimum of 15 low-income countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Mali. The State Department confirmed that UNICEF will now handle procurement and delivery after the former USAID-Chemonics supply chain ended last month, creating an 18-month period of shortages.
Health workers at Nyangezi General Hospital reported stockouts of oxytocin and amoxicillin, driving up treatment costs amid an ongoing Ebola crisis. The new arrangement aims to prevent further interruptions while recipient nations move toward self-reliance in health procurement. In parallel, the US has extended deadlines for some malaria and HIV deliveries and struck a deal with the Global Fund to let countries order US-funded supplies through its platform. No orders have been placed yet, but UNICEF expects them shortly.
Why it matters
Ensuring continuous access to maternal and newborn medicines prevents health crises in the poorest nations during a transition in US aid policy.
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