The United States will cut $50 million in annual medical funding to Zambia due to the Zambian government’s inadequate response to the alleged theft and sale of donated medicines intended for free distribution.
Ambassador Michael Gonzales told reporters that the US embassy had demanded action from Lusaka in 2024 regarding “the systemic theft of life-saving medicines and other products that were intended for free for the Zambian public,” including crucial treatments for malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis.
Gonzales expressed disappointment that instead of investigating the sources of the supply chain and pursuing the key figures behind the medicine theft, law enforcement efforts have primarily focused on lower-level individuals, resulting in the arrest of only a few mid-level officials.
As of now, there has been no immediate response from the Zambian health ministry regarding this matter.
The ambassador stated, “The United States can no longer justify to the American taxpayer continuing to provide such massive levels of assistance when the Zambian government will not take the necessary measures to protect this American investment.”
Zambia, a debt-ridden southern African nation with a population of 21 million, relies heavily on foreign aid.
Washington indicates that approximately one-third of the country’s public health expenditure is supported by the United States.
The medicine theft was initially discovered in late 2021. Subsequent inspections conducted at over 2,000 pharmacies last year revealed that a majority were selling stolen goods, including items provided free of charge by the United States, according to Gonzales.
Some pharmacies were also found to be selling items procured by the Zambian government, the Geneva-based Global Fund, and other donor organizations.
