The United States and Zambia have signed a health cooperation agreement worth about N$40 billion in Lusaka on Thursday.
The signing ended nearly a year of contentious negotiations over patient data and mineral rights that had threatened to derail the partnership.
The memorandum of understanding, signed under the Trump administration's America First Global Health Strategy, will see the U.S. provide more than N$8 billion over five years, while Zambia commits to increasing its domestic health expenditure by about N$15 billion.
The agreement covers critical health priorities, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and disease surveillance.
The deal was signed by Zambia's Minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane, and U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Mich Coker.
Health Minister Roma Chilengi signed a separate data-sharing agreement.
The final agreement represents a significant retreat from earlier U.S. demands that had sparked public backlash in Zambia.
"To the Zambian people, this Mou is about your health, your prosperity, and your future. It's about ensuring that every Zambian has access to quality care and that the nation is prepared for any challenges that may come."
Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe confirmed that the health memorandum was "no longer tied to the signing of a Critical Minerals Framework, which had initially raised reservations on the part of the Zambian Government."
“There's no connection currently between the health of the MoU signing and questions relating to engagements as two partners in the critical mental space."
Health Minister Chilengi stated that clauses requiring Zambia to send biological specimens to the U.S. had been removed and that data exchange would be limited to information needed to monitor and evaluate programs funded under the deal.
Under the agreement, Zambia will progressively assume greater responsibility for its health system, including the procurement of health commodities and the transition of U.S.-supported frontline health workers into the civil service.
The partnership will also support the recruitment of up to 40,000 health workers over the next five years.
The U.S. has now signed 36 bilateral global health agreements under the America First Global Health Strategy, representing more than N$438 billion in new health funding worldwide