The United States has declared that it will reduce $50 million (£37 million) in financial support for Zambia’s healthcare system because the nation hasn’t tackled the issue of “pervasive pilfering” of donated medications and medical equipment.
The challenging choice was made following multiple warnings issued to the Zambian government regarding the protection of essential medications intended for the nation’s most at-risk individuals, according to US Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales.
He stated, ‘We refuse to continue funding the personal gains of swindlers and crooks while patients suffer due to lack of access or must purchase essential medicines that we have supplied at no cost.’
The Zambian government has not made any comments as of now.
The reductions are distinct from the extensive freeze on foreign aid that President Donald Trump declared in January.
The healthcare system in Zambia receives significant financial support from international donors; however, past reports have highlighted extensive misuse and corruption among high-ranking health administrators.
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According to a statement from the US embassy in Zambia, the United States contributes approximately one-third of the nation’s public health expenditures.
But US officials said they had discovered the “country-wide theft” of medical products that were intended to be distributed for free to the public but were now being sold by private pharmacies.
Over 2,000 pharmacies throughout Zambia were discovered to be selling donated medications and medical equipment during an extensive one-year probe carried out by the US embassy.
“Shockingly, across these visits, 95 percent of the pharmacies that were selling the kinds of products that the United States provides, were also selling stolen goods,” the statement said.
About half of the pharmacies inspected were reported to be selling medications and supplies provided as donations from the U.S. government.
It was further revealed that other pharmacies had also been discovered selling stolen medical stock which was procured by the Zambian government, the Global Fund, and other donors supporting Zambia.
The U.S. embassy stated that they submitted their findings and proposed experts to take actions aimed at preventing additional thefts and bringing those responsible to justice back in April of last year; however, no steps were implemented.
The embassy expressed disappointment, stating that so far, the government’s efforts have significantly failed to show a dedication towards protecting U.S. aid and the lives we intend to preserve,
According to the US embassy, Zambia’s law enforcement efforts have been concentrated on apprehending minor players rather than addressing the root cause. These actions have resulted in only a handful of arrests among mid-level officials, without delving into the investigation of drug theft suppliers or targeting the key orchestrators behind these crimes.
Gonzales stated that the U.S. can no longer justify providing such substantial amounts of aid to taxpayers.
He mentioned that the reductions would impact medications for treating malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis.
“This was not a hasty choice,” Gonzales stated, his eyes welling up with tears as he elaborated on the impact of the measure on Zambian patients.
The reduction in assistance will come into force in January of next year to provide the Zambian government with time to establish alternate plans; however, he stated that “the decision has been finalized.”
After the Trump administration assumed power, it reduced funding for various global health initiatives by billions of dollars, affecting several African nations such as Zambia. In these regions, HIV continues to be a significant danger, particularly among teenagers and young adults.
Trump announced the aid freeze on his first day in office in January in line with his “America First” foreign policy.
The reductions in aid have impacted healthcare initiatives throughout Africa, affecting the delivery of essential medical supplies such as HIV medications.
Most of the programs run by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which offered health and humanitarian aid to disadvantaged countries,
have since been terminated
.
In March, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema stated that Trump had “struck us twice,” emphasizing that it was now crucial for his nation to bolster its finances so they could buy their own medications independently.
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