Zambia to sign US$1.5 billion health agreement with the United States on Thursday

Government will sign a Health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States on Thursday 8 October 2026 at the Ministry of Finance, following months of negotiations over several of its provisions.

Health Minister Professor Roma Chilengi said the talks focused on clauses covering intellectual property, specimen sharing, information and data sharing, and the length of the agreement. The specimen-sharing condition has been dropped completely, and the information and data-sharing provisions have also been removed.

Professor Chilengi said these changes have produced an agreement both governments are comfortable with, clearing the way for Thursday's signing.

Under the MOU, the United States will contribute US$1.5 billion to Zambia's health sector over the next five years. The two governments' combined contribution will total US$3.6 billion.

The Minister also clarified that the Ministry of Health had seen no provision in the MOU relating to critical minerals. He said negotiations had centred only on specimen sharing, data collection and the duration of the agreement.

Responding to calls for the MOU to go before Parliament, Professor Chilengi said the matter had been referred to the Attorney General, who advised that it be taken to Cabinet. Cabinet has since reviewed and approved the agreement.

The MOU will not be made public before the signing. Government is pleased with the final agreement, however, and sees it as a landmark step towards strengthening Zambia's health sector.