The Trump administration has announced it will freeze all health funding to Zambia due to unchecked and widespread corruption recently observed in the nation’s health sector.
- The Trump administration declared a freeze in health funding to Zambia due to corruption in the health sector.
- An investigation revealed systematic theft of donated medical supplies, leading to private resale instead of free public distribution.
- The Zambian government has promised reforms to address these issues and ensure better supply chain oversight.
The United States has confirmed a $50 million reduction in annual health aid to Zambia, as it moves to freeze key health funding in the country citing the systematic theft of donated medical supplies.
The $50 million (About 1.4 billion kwacha) is part of the $128 million the United States provides annually to Zambia for medicines, medical supplies, and broader support for the country’s health sector.
This decision comes in the wake of a U.S. investigation conducted between 2021 and 2023, which found that nearly half of the 2,000 pharmacies surveyed across the country were selling medicines meant to be distributed free of charge.
Speaking on the matter, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales described the move as a “difficult” but necessary decision following repeated warnings to the Zambian government to protect vital supplies intended for the country’s most vulnerable patients.
“We are no longer willing to underwrite the personal enrichment of fraudsters or the corrupt, while patients go without or are forced to purchase life-saving medications that we have provided for free,” Gonzales said.
In response, the Zambian government stated that it has taken measures to address the issue. According to the BBC, Health Minister Elijah Muchima expressed gratitude to the U.S. for its continued support, while noting that the problem of drug theft predates the current administration, which assumed office in 2021.
The aid cut is expected to significantly impact access to medications for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria—three of the most pressing health challenges in the region.
More sharp practices investigated
The U.S. Embassy in Zambia launched an investigation into the widespread theft of medical supplies and uncovered extensive evidence of sharp practices across the country’s health sector.
American interest in Zambia’s health system has intensified in recent years, in part due to the substantial U.S. investment in the nation’s public health infrastructure.
According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy, the United States currently contributes approximately one-third of Zambia’s public health spending.
U.S. officials leading the investigation revealed a pattern of “country-wide theft” of medical products intended for free public distribution.
These supplies were instead being resold through private pharmacies.
According to the statement from the US Embassy in Zambia, the year-long investigation disclosed that over 2,000 privately operated pharmacies across Zambia were found selling donated drugs and medical supplies.
“As soon as we discovered this country-wide theft in late-2021, we immediately informed the Zambian government of our findings and initiated an on-the-ground assessment of private pharmacies across Zambia to understand the extent of the issue.”
“From 2021 to 2023, our buyers visited more than 2,000 pharmacies throughout Zambia that sell the same types of products that the United States provides for free to Zambia’s healthcare system.“
“Shockingly, across these visits, 95 percent of the pharmacies that were selling the kinds of products that the United States provides were also selling stolen goods. Of those pharmacies selling stolen goods, 45 percent were selling stolen products that the United States had provided to Zambia for free to Zambians in need.“
Let me repeat that: in all ten provinces, nearly half of the pharmacies that were selling the kinds of products the United States provides for free for the Zambian people were selling stolen medications and medical supplies donated by the U.S. government.” the statement noted.
The U.S. government, has however, stated that the reduction will not take effect immediately.
The Zambian government has been given until January next year to implement alternative procurement and oversight arrangements before the aid is withdrawn.
In response to the findings, Zambia’s Health Minister Elijah Muchima stated that the government had introduced “an advanced digital stock tracking system” to better monitor medicine supplies.
He also assured the public that there were adequate stocks of essential drugs and that there was “no immediate risk of shortages.”
