Zimbabwe Declines US Health Funding Over Data Sharing Demands
Zimbabwe has declined a US health agreement that would have provided $367 million (£272 million) in funding over five years due to Washington's request for sensitive biological data.
The decision emerged following the leak of a government memo from December, which revealed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa considered the deal "lopsided."
A government spokesperson clarified that the US sought access to biological samples for research and commercial purposes but was unwilling to share the benefits derived from future vaccines and treatments.
"We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe," US ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont stated.
The US embassy noted that over the past two decades, the US has provided more than $1.9 billion in health funding to Zimbabwe.
A Zimbabwean doctors' association has urged further dialogue to reach an agreement acceptable to both parties to ensure the continuation of the country's HIV programme.
Similar Concerns in Kenya and US Foreign Aid Changes
In December, Kenya's High Court suspended a comparable health funding agreement with the US after a consumer rights group raised concerns about the safety of Kenyans' health data.
Since returning to office last year, US President Donald Trump has significantly reduced foreign aid and closed the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which previously administered US government aid. Trump criticized USAID's spending as "wasteful" and promoted government-to-government agreements to enhance transparency and accountability.
According to the US embassy in Zimbabwe, 16 African countries have signed health agreements totaling over $18.3 billion in new funding.
The funds intended for Zimbabwe would have supported "HIV/Aids treatment and prevention, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and disease outbreak preparedness."
"We believe this collaboration would have delivered extraordinary benefits for Zimbabwean communities especially the 1.2 million men, women and children currently receiving HIV treatment through US-supported programmes," Tremont said.
Zimbabwe's Position on Data Sharing and Benefit Access
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana described the arrangement as "asymmetrical."
"Zimbabwe was being asked to share its biological resources and data over an extended period, with no corresponding guarantee of access to any medical innovations - such as vaccines, diagnostics, or treatments - that might result from that shared data," he said.
"In essence, our nation would provide the raw materials for scientific discovery without any assurance that the end products would be accessible to our people should a future health crisis emerge."
Mangwana also highlighted that the US's withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its pursuit of bilateral health agreements are disrupting existing global health structures.
He cited the WHO's Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing scheme as an example, which is designed to ensure equitable sharing of benefits, including vaccines and treatments, when countries contribute data, rather than exclusive commercialization by resource-rich entities.
"This system is designed to ensure that when a country contributes its data, the benefits - including vaccines and treatments - are shared equitably, not commercialised exclusively by those with the resources to develop them."
Mangwana emphasized that Zimbabwe's concerns should not be interpreted as anti-American sentiment.
"We welcome continued dialogue with our American counterparts on how future co-operation might be structured in a manner that respects the sovereignty and dignity of both nations."
Calls for Continued Negotiations from Health Professionals
The Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians (ZCPHP) acknowledged the government's concerns but recommended ongoing negotiations, given the reliance of much of Zimbabwe's HIV programmes on external funding.
"Where technical issues exist, including those relating to data governance or implementation frameworks, these can often be addressed through technical clarification and negotiated safeguards," the ZCPHP stated.
