Zambia signs five-year US health funding deal after data dispute

Zambia has signed a five-year health financing agreement with the US after months of dispute over whether aid conditions would expose citizens’ medical data or give US companies preferential access to minerals. The revised agreement is intended to address concerns about privacy and benefit-sharing, while replacing support previously channelled largely through US programmes.

The US will provide about $1.5bn, with Zambia also contributing to a package officials estimate at roughly $3.6bn for 2026 to 2030. Health Minister Roma Chilengi said individual patient records and biological specimens would not be shared; data exchange would be limited to monitoring programmes funded by the deal. The funding is set to support HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, disease surveillance and community health workers, with US contributions expected to decline as Zambia increases domestic spending.