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.
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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