Zimbabwe rejects 'lopsided' US health aid deal over data concerns
Access to biological samples raised flags for Zimbabwe as the US did not want to share the benefits of its research.
Coverage by Political Leaning
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Notable Quotes
"We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe."
— Pamela Tremont , Executive
"Zimbabwe was being asked to share its biological resources and data over an extended period, with no corresponding guarantee of access to any medical innovations."
— Nick Mangwana , Politician
"The U.S. proposal was tied to 'comprehensive access to Zimbabwe’s sensitive health data, including virus samples and epidemiological information from our citizens.'"
— Nick Mangwana , Politician
"We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe."
— Pamela Tremont , Executive
"These terms are vastly worse than other deals. [The US] is conditioning life-saving health services on plundering the mineral wealth of the country."
— Asia Russell , Activist
"If the HIV programme in Zambia is distorted or it’s disrupted or it’s derailed, I’ll be the first casualty, as well as hundreds of thousands of other people."
— Julius Kachidza , Activist
"This is essentially our Zambian government signing away the right to access health data of its citizens to another country."
— Josiah Kalala , Activist
Key People
Director of the HIV advocacy organisation Health Gap.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health and Child Care.
Emmerson Mnangagwa is the President of Zimbabwe, having taken power in 2017 after ousting Robert Mugabe.
Director of the Chapter One Foundation, a human rights organisation.
Chair of Zambia’s Civil Society Self-coordinating Mechanism.
Government spokesperson for Zimbabwe.
US ambassador to Zimbabwe.
Tags
All Coverage
Access to biological samples raised flags for Zimbabwe as the US did not want to share the benefits of its research.
The United States will begin phasing out health assistance to Zimbabwe after negotiations collapsed over a proposed $367 million funding agreement, with Zimbabwe citing concerns over data sharing and sovereignty.
The U.S. is to wind down health assistance to Zimbabwe after the African country withdrew from talks on a proposed $367 million bilateral funding deal, citing concerns over data sharing and sovereignty.
A leaked draft of a five-year memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Zambia reveals terms that may be worse than health financing agreements the U.S. has reached with 16 other African countries, including a commitment to give Washington access to its health data for 10 years.
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