Zambia To Sign $1.5 Billion US Health Funding Deal

Zambia will sign an agreement with the United States on Thursday that will provide $1.5 billion in health funding over five years after the two countries resolved differences over Washington’s request for medical data, Health Minister Roma Chilengi said on Tuesday.

Negotiations had stalled earlier this year over Zambia’s concerns about data privacy and a US attempt to link the funding to access to critical minerals.

“The government is pleased to announce that it will sign the agreement … on Thursday,” Chilengi said at a press conference.

Under the agreement, the United States will provide $1.5 billion in health funding over five years, while Zambia will contribute $2.1 billion.

The US has funded health programmes in Zambia covering HIV/AIDS, malaria and public health.

Zambia and other African countries have raised concerns over requests for broad medical data as a condition for receiving US health funding. Chilengi said data-sharing under the revised agreement would be limited to information needed to monitor and evaluate US-funded health programmes.

A clause requiring Zambia to provide patient medical specimens to the United States upon request had also been removed, he said.

On whether the funding was conditional on access to Zambia’s mineral resources, Chilengi said there was “no mention of critical minerals” in the revised health agreement. He added that he was not aware of a separate critical minerals agreement being negotiated with Washington.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have signed similar US health agreements under a revised approach to foreign aid that seeks to encourage developing countries to move towards greater self-reliance. Ghana and Zimbabwe have rejected similar deals over data-sharing concerns.

The agreement will make Zambia the latest African country to conclude a new health funding pact with the United States after negotiations over data requirements.

SOURCE: Reuters