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The U.S. government will commit approximately US$1.5 billion to Zambia over the next five years, starting April 2026, to support the health sector, authorities have announced.
Health Minister, Dr. Elijah Muchima, also revealed that the United States intended to provide Zambia with US$323 million for Technical Assistance over the same period.
He made the announcement during a visit by the Global Health Security and Diplomacy Team from the United States on Monday at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Muchima said Zambia was among 16 of the 54 African countries partnering with the United States to improve global health.
“The United States government has been the largest external funder to Zambia’s health sector, through several initiatives, including, but not limited to HIV, TB, and Malaria control programs,” he said.
Muchima added that the government would collaborate with the U.S. to implement health services that ensure good health in Zambia and globally, in line with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) set to be signed in December.
He emphasized that the government would “own” the program by providing stewardship, meeting obligations, and gradually funding components of the agreement, aiming to fully take over the funding portfolio after 2030.
“This support should provide relief to Zambia in the early years of this MoU to enable the country to increase domestic resources to take over the funding of all the activities after 2030,” the Minister said.
He assured stakeholders of government commitment to the “Three Ones” framework: one budget, one plan, and one monitoring framework.
Muchima said this approach could de-duplicate efforts, improve resource allocation, and enhance program outcomes, including sustainability.
“The program will focus on strengthening the health system, with particular attention to human resources for health, laboratory capacities, stimulating local manufacturing, epidemic and pandemic preparedness, reducing the burden of HIV, TB and malaria, and above all integrating the management of diseases at program level,” he said.
The Minister noted that while Zambia was committed to its MoU obligations, unforeseen circumstances could occasionally prevent the country from fully matching funding.
He urged stakeholders to hold the government accountable for service delivery rather than for matching every dollar.
“Zambia agrees with this in principle. However, the data sharing arrangement we agree to must guarantee the safety benchmarks enshrined in our local statutes regarding data sharing and should be governed under the Zambian law with regard to the Data Protection Act and National Health Act,” Muchima said.
He clarified that data and specimen sharing clauses in the MoU could last up to 25 years, while the MoU itself runs for five years.
He called for clarity on the type of support, whether funding will go to GRZ or implementing partners, and GRZ’s role in monitoring technical assistance and appropriated funds.
Muchima revealed that Zambia had received nearly US$7 billion for HIV and TB control since 2004, averaging US$400 million annually.
“Before the advent of this support in 2004, life expectancy in Zambia had dropped from 63 years to 33 years from birth. With this support, life expectancy in Zambia has now moved up to 64 years from birth,” he said.
He added that the assistance had helped Zambia achieve UNAIDS goals for HIV epidemic control, reaching 98-98-97, a significant milestone toward ending AIDS as a public health threat.
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