The United States has announced it will begin ending health aid to Zimbabwe after it broke down in negotiations over a proposed multi-million dollar bilateral funding deal.
The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe said Washington offered $367 million over five years to support priority health programs, including treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and disease outbreak preparedness.
The proposal would mark the largest potential investment in Zimbabwe’s health sector by any international partner.
“A difficult and regrettable task”
US Ambassador Pamela Tremont said the breakdown in talks would force Washington to scale back its support.
“We will now turn our attention to the difficult and regrettable task of ending our medical assistance in Zimbabwe,” Tremont said in a statement on Tuesday.
She described the proposed funding as having “extraordinary benefits for Zimbabwean communities – especially the 1.2 million men, women and children currently receiving HIV treatment through US-supported programs”.
Tremont added that Zimbabwe has indicated it is ready to continue its HIV response independently. “We wish them well,” she said.
The US is Zimbabwe’s largest bilateral health donor, providing nearly $2 billion in aid since 2006. US officials say the funding has been “directly responsible” for Zimbabwe meeting UN targets for HIV treatment and viral suppression.
Harare invokes sovereignty and data concerns
Zimbabwean authorities said they rejected the proposal due to concerns about data sharing, fairness and sovereignty.
Government spokesman Nick Mangwana said the US offer was linked to “comprehensive access to Zimbabwe’s sensitive health data, including virus samples and epidemiological information from our citizens”.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa ordered the talks to end because the US did not offer reciprocal guarantees, Mangwana said.
“The United States has not offered to share its own epidemiological data with our health authorities,” he said. “Our country would essentially be providing the raw materials for scientific discovery without any guarantee that the end products would be available to our people should a health crisis arise in the future.”
Zimbabwean officials have also criticized Washington’s move toward “America first” bilateral agreements, calling it a “move away from multilateral frameworks.” Mangwana said data on viruses with pandemic potential should be shared exclusively through the World Health Organization system to ensure equitable access to vaccines and treatment.
Public health experts warn of the risks
Zimbabwe’s College of Public Health Physicians called for continued dialogue and warned that a sudden withdrawal of US funding could destabilize critical services.
“Suddenly cutting off such support could risk treatment interruptions, increased transmission, emergence of drug resistance and additional burden on the healthcare system,” the college said in a statement.
Zimbabwe recently began rolling out lenacapavir, a long-acting twice-yearly HIV prevention drug, with support from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund. The collapse of talks raises questions about future deliveries under the program.
A broader shift in American health policy
The dispute comes amid a broader reorganization of America’s global health engagement under President Donald Trump, including a shift away from multilateral institutions and the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development.
The US embassy said agreements worth more than $18 billion were signed with 16 African countries under the new bilateral framework, with recipient countries contributing about $7.1 billion to boost domestic investment in health systems.
However, Zimbabwe decided not to proceed under the proposed terms, setting the stage for a major shift in public health financing.
Key things
- The US has been Zimbabwe’s largest bilateral health donor, significantly influencing HIV treatment and public health.
- The Zimbabwean authorities rejected the funding proposal due to concerns about data sovereignty and fairness.
- Public health experts warn that a sudden withdrawal of US funding could lead to serious health crises, including increased disease transmission.
