Zambia and the United States have finalised a historic five-year health partnership valued at US$2.49 billion, designed to overhaul the Southern African nation’s healthcare infrastructure and overhaul data management systems.
The bilateral package includes a Health Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding alongside a comprehensive Data Sharing Agreement.
Under the provisions running from 2026 to 2030, Washington will commit more than US$1.5 billion directly toward priority health programmes across the country.
To complement the American funding, the Zambian government has pledged to increase its own domestic health expenditure by US$975 million over the same five-year period, ensuring sustainable co-financing for critical medical services.
Health Minister Professor Roma Chilengi confirmed the pact will trigger a major recruitment drive within the sector.
The government plans to employ 40,000 new personnel, comprising 15,000 frontline medical professionals and 25,000 community health workers, significantly boosting delivery in underserved areas.
Professor Chilengi said the agreement would also support human resource development and workforce capacity, medical commodities and local manufacturing and also strengthen health systems.
The Minister said the support would cover areas such as data management, laboratory systems and logistics, while also helping Zambia reduce the burden of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
The agreement will further support epidemic and pandemic preparedness.
Professor Chilengi said the partnership would provide financial relief during the early years while Zambia progressively increases its own domestic contribution towards the health sector.
He said the arrangement was intended to help Zambia transition to a fully Government-led health financing model after 2030.
The agreement comes after Zambia earlier suspended the signing of the MoU over concerns surrounding several provisions, particularly health data protection, biological specimen sharing and the duration of the agreement.
Professor Chilengi noted that the two governments resolved the concerns through negotiations before signing the final agreement.
According to him, the duration of the agreement was reduced from the originally proposed 25-year framework to five years.
On his part, the US Chargé d’Affaires Mich Coker described the MoU as a strategic investment and economic opportunity that reinforces the close friendship and partnership with Zambia and the region.
“This MoU is a model through which our nations can work together, not through dependency but through partnership, not through short term fixes but through long term systems” he said.
“This has been signed to save lives and strengthen Economies, moving forward with determination and shared beliefs that the Prosperity of our nations are deeply connected.”
Addressing the scope of the agreement, Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe made it clear that the MoU does not involve Zambia’s critical mineral resources.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana