US says it will reduce health aid to Zambia because medicines were
stolen and sold
[May 09, 2025]
By NOEL SICHALWE
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — The United States will cut $50 million worth of
medical aid a year to Zambia because of “systematic” theft of the aid in
past years and the government's failure to crack down on that, the U.S.
ambassador said Thursday.
The U.S. had discovered in 2021 that medicines and medical supplies that
were meant to be provided free to Zambians had been taken and were being
sold by pharmacies across the southern African country, U.S. Ambassador
to Zambia Michael Gonzales said at a press briefing.
He said that a U.S. investigation of around 2,000 pharmacies in Zambia
between 2021 and 2023 found that nearly half of them were selling
medicines and products paid for by U.S. aid funds.
The Zambian government had failed to do enough to address the corruption
after the U.S. informed it of the theft scandal in April 2024, Gonzales
said.
“For more than a year, the United States has requested tangible action
by the government of Zambia to respond to the countrywide, systematic
theft of these products,” he said. “In the face of minimal responsive
action by the government, the United States is taking necessary steps to
safeguard and ensure the accountability of American taxpayer funds.”
Zambian Health Minister Elijah Muchima said the government acknowledged
the concerns of the U.S. and was committed to "resolving this
unfortunate issue.” The government had fired, suspended or arrested
officials implicated and was finalizing a report on the theft of
medicines, but had to respect the legal process, Muchima said.
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In this Feb. 6, 2020 file photo, a man buys a face mask at a
pharmacy in Kitwe, Zambia. Zambia faces a Friday deadline to clear
debt owed to external investors who have rejected the country's
request for deferral of an overdue $42.5 million interest payment
amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Emmanuel Mwiche/File)
 The $50 million is part of $128
million the U.S. gives to Zambia a year for medicines, medical
supplies and other support for its health sector. Gonzales said the
cuts would affect medications for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria,
three critical diseases affecting Zambians.
The action was separate to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to
cut U.S. foreign aid across the world, Gonzales said.
He said that the U.S. investigation into the theft also found that
medications and supplies paid for by the Zambia government, the
Global Fund and other international donors were being sold in
pharmacies.
Zambia is burdened by heavy debts to China and other nations and
relies on aid. The U.S. had been giving it a total of $600 million a
year in health and development aid and funded approximately a third
of the Zambian public health system, Gonzales said.
The ambassador said he had recommended to officials in Washington
that the U.S. start cutting the aid from January next year to give
Zambia time to plan new procurements of the life-saving drugs.
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