US cuts aid to Zambia over ‘systematic’ theft of medicine

The US has decided to cut $50 million in aid to Zambia’s health sector due to the country’s failure to tackle “systematic theft” of donated medical supplies, as stated by US ambassador Michael Gonzales. This decision follows a year-long investigation revealing that over 2,000 pharmacies in Zambia were selling stolen drugs intended for public distribution. The cuts, effective January next year, will impact treatments for malaria, HIV, and TB, as the US can no longer justify such assistance given the lack of action from the Zambian government to address corruption in the healthcare system.

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