Zambian Ministers have reacted angrily to the United States having further slashed health aid to the country, after the American ambassador publicly referring to what he described as “systemic theft” in the public health sector.
US ambassador to Lusaka, Michael Gonzales expressed concern about corruption involving drugs donated by the US, triggering a warning by Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe against diplomats interfering in the country’s affairs.
He said there was an “increasing tendency” by envoys to ignore diplomatic channels, which could undermine the “spirit of mutual respect”.
The BBC reports that he did not mention names, but his comments were seen as being directed at Gonzales.
Last week, Gonzales called a press conference to announce that the US was cutting $50m of health aid to Zambia because of the theft of life-saving medications that the US had provided for patients.
He added that he had decided to go public after holding more than 30 fruitless meetings with senior Zambian officials.
In his response, Haimbe said that addressing the government through the media amounted to interference and breached diplomatic conventions.
The US embassy said last week that it had presented its findings of the alleged corruption to Zambian officials in April last year, and had offered help to stop further theft and to bring the culprits to justice.
However, no action was taken by Zambian authorities, it added.
On Monday, Zambia’s Home Affairs Minister Jacob Mwiimbu said a forensic audit on the alleged theft had been completed and handed to security agencies for further action. He said about 75 people have been arrested in a crackdown that saw more than 400 health facilities raided over the scam.
Gonzales said an inspection by US officials at more than 2 000 pharmacies last year had found that most were selling drugs and medical supplies donated by the US.
Zambia’s Health Minister Elijah Muchima earlier said the problem of theft predated the current government, which took office in 2021, and that several officials had been sacked. He added that “an advanced digital stock tracking system” had been set up to monitor the supply of medicines.
The cut in US assistance, expected to take effect next year, would affect drugs to treat malaria, HIV and TB.
Gonzales said the recent US measure was separate to the foreign aid freeze announced by President Donald Trump in January.
In March, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema said Trump had “slapped us on both cheeks”, saying it was time for his country to strengthen its treasury to procure its own medicines.
The US accounts for about a third of public health spending in Zambia, according to the US embassy.
BBC article – Zambia warns diplomats after US reveals ‘systematic’ aid theft (Open access)
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