Zimbabwe Refuses US Health Aid Deal Over Data Concerns

(MENAFN) Zimbabwe has turned down a US health funding agreement worth $367 million over five years, citing concerns about Washington’s request for sensitive data, as stated by reports.

The decision emerged following the leak of a December government memo, which revealed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa viewed the deal as “lopsided.”

A government spokesperson explained that the United States sought access to biological samples for research and commercial purposes but was unwilling to share potential benefits 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 Pamela Tremont said in a statement. The embassy noted that over the past two decades, the United States has provided more than $1.9 billion in health funding to the country.

Meanwhile, a doctors’ association in Zimbabwe urged continued dialogue to reach a mutually acceptable agreement to ensure the HIV programme remains operational. In December, Kenya’s High Court suspended a similar US health funding deal after concerns were raised over the protection of citizens’ health data.

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