US Embassy Confirms It’s Shutting Down Lifesaving HIV, TB, And Malaria Programs After Zimbabwe Rejects US$367M Deal

The United States Embassy has confirmed it is pulling the plug on lifesaving health programs in Zimbabwe, including HIV/AIDS treatment, tuberculosis control, and malaria prevention, after President Emmerson Mnangagwa rejected a massive US$367 million (approximately R6.8 billion) funding deal over sovereignty concerns.

The devastating decision puts 1.2 million Zimbabweans currently receiving antiretroviral drugs through US-supported programmes at immediate risk, as Washington begins the grim process of winding down decades of health assistance.

US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont broke the silence following revelations that negotiations had collapsed, confirming that the generous five-year package—which would have been the largest health investment by any international funder in Zimbabwe—is now dead.

“We will now turn to the difficult and regrettable task of winding down our health assistance in Zimbabwe,” Ambassador Tremont said.

“This MoU would have provided $367 million over five years to support Zimbabwe’s priority health programs, including HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and disease outbreak preparedness.”

Tremont revealed that the proposed agreement would have delivered extraordinary benefits for Zimbabwean communities, particularly the 1.2 million men, women, and children currently receiving HIV treatment through US-supported programmes. She confirmed that Zimbabwean authorities assured Washington they are prepared to sustain the fight alone.

“The Government of Zimbabwe has assured us it is prepared to sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS, and we wish them well,” she added.

Mnangagwa’s Direct Order

The diplomatic rupture follows a direct presidential intervention. In a leaked memorandum dated December 23, 2025, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Chimbindi instructed the secretaries for finance and health to immediately halt all negotiations.

Government sources said Harare objected fiercely to US demands for direct access to Zimbabwe’s national health data, which authorities viewed as excessive external oversight and potential intelligence-gathering.

Zimbabwe also objected to what it considered broader conditions attached to the agreement, including provisions linked to access to the country’s critical mineral resources—a move advisors feared would give Washington strategic leverage over sectors central to the nation’s future economic independence.

Officials further argued that entering into a bilateral health agreement would contradict Zimbabwe’s commitment to multilateral cooperation in global health matters, particularly following the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation.

Sixteen Countries Signed, Zimbabwe Walked

While Zimbabwe slams the door on American cash, the rest of the continent is cashing in. Washington pointed out that sixteen African nations have already signed similar health collaboration MOUs under the America First Global Health Strategy, unlocking a staggering US$18.3 billion (approximately R339 trillion) in new health funding—including US$11.2 billion in US assistance alongside US$7.1 billion in co-investment from recipient countries.

The rejected package for Zimbabwe was built on a co-funding model designed to ensure sustainability and a path toward self-reliance, requiring Zimbabwe to gradually increase its own health funding alongside US support.

Since 2006, the United States has provided more than US$1.9 billion (approximately R35.2 billion) in health support to Zimbabwe, with American-funded programmes directly credited for helping Zimbabwe achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets—the global benchmark for HIV treatment and suppression.

“The United States has a responsibility to American taxpayers to invest their resources where mutual accountability, transparency, and shared commitment are assured,” Tremont said.

“These MOUs set a higher standard for bilateral health cooperation—one that prioritises sustainability, measurable outcomes, and shared ownership of results.”

Tuberculosis remains one of Zimbabwe’s main public health challenges, accounting for over 200 cases per 100,000 people. Malaria outbreaks also continue to threaten vulnerable communities, particularly during the rainy season.

Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora has since announced the government is fast-tracking the National Health Insurance Scheme to safeguard essential health services following the funding cuts, describing the withdrawal as a wake-up call for Zimbabwe to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation.

“Zimbabwe has strengthened predictable domestic resource mobilisation, including through the Aids Levy and earmarked health-related taxes, which provide funding for priority programmes. To enhance financial protection, Zimbabwe is fast-tracking the National Health Insurance Scheme,” Mombeshora said.

The move comes as Zimbabwe faces declining external support following major cuts to United States development assistance, with USAID-funded programmes that supported rural clinics, health worker training, and medical equipment procurement now suspended.

Mnangagwa himself conducted unannounced visits to major public hospitals in Harare last year, touring Parirenyatwa Hospital and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, where he observed infrastructure problems and shortages of essential drugs and equipment.

Despite the government’s assurances, questions remain over where replacement funding will be sourced for the 1.2 million HIV patients, thousands of TB sufferers, and communities at risk of malaria who now face an uncertain future as American programmes grind to a halt.