US announce $50m cut in health aid to Zambia

The US has announced it will withdraw $50 million in yearly aid to Zambia, citing the “systemic theft” of donated medicines and medical provisions, Africanews and AP reported on May 9th.

This decision, US Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales states, follows multiple warnings to the Zambian government to protect essential health commodities.

Gonzales described the move as “difficult,” but emphasised that it became necessary after Zambian authorities failed to act decisively. The medicines included life-saving treatments for malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis.

However, an investigation conducted between 2021 and 2023 revealed widespread corruption. From the roughly 2,000 pharmacies examined in Zambia, almost half were found to be selling medical supplies, which had been paid for through US aid. The supplies were meant to be given free of charge to Zambians.

US aid cuts are not uncommon on the global stage. UNICEF made clear that US cuts are highly impactful on NGO capabilities, Asharq Al-Awsat via Reuters reported on February 28th.

Gonzales noted that even after the US alerted the Zambian government of the situation last year, it failed to take sufficient steps to stop the theft. As a result, the US decided it would no longer “underwrite the personal enrichment of fraudsters” using American taxpayer money.

In response, Zambia’s Health Minister, Elijah Muchima, acknowledged the US medical support. Several officials had been dismissed due to the theft, he claimed.

He added that the thefts have taken place before the current administration and announced the implementation of a digital tracking system for drug inventories. Still, he insisted there was “no immediate risk of shortages” and that three-quarters of Zambians could get crucial medicines.

The US Embassy pointed out that US funding supports approximately one-third of Zambia’s public health expenditure. The aid cuts signal a shift in the bilateral relationship of the two countries.

The move is unrelated to the broader foreign aid review initiated under President Donald Trump. The cuts to Zambian aid will start in January, allowing Zambia to make necessary adjustments.

Africanews and AP, BBC, sharq Al-Awsat via Reuters