US and Zambia sign $2.49 billion health financing deal

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 16:25 · Archive

The US and Zambia have signed a $2.49 billion health financing agreement after removing contested data and specimen-sharing clauses.

The US government and Zambia signed a health financing deal after agreeing to remove specimen-sharing and patient-data clauses that had stalled negotiations. The Zambian government clarified that the deal contains no clauses linked to the country's mineral resources, which will be negotiated separately. Zambia is Africa's second-largest copper producer, and there had been concerns that the US would attempt to tie health assistance to access to natural minerals.

The US State Department valued the total deal at $2.49 billion, with the US contributing $1.52 billion and Zambia investing $975 million into its health system over the next five years. The amount is somewhat less than the $3.6 billion that Zambian officials had mentioned earlier. The agreement is part of the Trump administration's America First Global Health Strategy, which came after the administration dismantled the US Agency for International Development.

The new agreements aim to commit African nations to gradually increase spending on health services while the US gradually phases out its assistance. Mich Coker, Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Lusaka, said the partnership was about shared security and prosperity, stating that a strong Zambian health system serves as a first line of defence for both nations and the broader region.

How it is being reported

• US, Zambia sign $2.49B health financing pact after removing data and specimen-sharing termsThe U.S. and Zambia have signed a $2.49 billion health financing deal after removing clauses on specimen-sharing and patient data.Clickorlando · 8 Oct, 15:51
• US, Zambia sign $2.49B health financing pact after removing data and specimen-sharing termsThe U.S. and Zambia have signed a $2.49 billion health financing deal after removing clauses on specimen-sharing and patient data.News4Jax · 8 Oct, 15:51

In this story: United States · Zambia · Mich Coker · US State Department

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem