Parties ready to sign $1.5 billion health funding pact MATHEWS MALAZIKA Lusaka THE Zambian Government is ready to sign a US$1.5 billion health funding agreement with the United States after resolving concerns over clauses relating to data protection and specimen sharing, Minister…

• Parties ready to sign $1.5 billion health funding pact

MATHEWS MALAZIKA

Lusaka

THE Zambian Government is ready to sign a US$1.5 billion health funding agreement with the United States after resolving concerns over clauses relating to data protection and specimen sharing, Minister of Health Roma Chilengi has said.

Government earlier this year suspended the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to allow further diplomatic and technical discussions on provisions it considered unsuitable for Zambia.

Prof Chilengi said the original MoU was based on a standard framework developed for several beneficiary countries in the region, but Zambia raised concerns over certain provisions, particularly those concerning the protection of health data and the sharing of biological specimens.

Speaking on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview, Prof Chilengi said the two governments had since reached an understanding following extensive discussions.

He said Zambia had successfully negotiated the removal of the specimen sharing requirement and that no specimens would leave the country under the agreement.

“When the MoU was floated, it was kind of a standard design for many identified beneficiary countries across the region. I think that this MoU was unpopular because it had clauses that were uncomfortable to ourselves,” he said.

Prof Chilengi said the negotiations involved several rounds of discussions, with some anticipated deadlines missed as the two sides worked to resolve outstanding issues.

He said the agreement was expected to be signed this week and would run for five years.

According to Prof Chilengi, the US Government would provide funding annually, with the allocations expected to decrease over the five-year period until the total commitment reaches US$1.5 billion.

He said the Zambian Government would, in turn, increase its domestic commitment to health financing to ensure that gains made through the funding are sustained beyond the agreement.

Meanwhile, Prof Chilengi described the current state of National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) as requiring major restructuring to enable it to effectively support primary healthcare and universal health coverage.

He said Government would not allow the institution to collapse and would engage the public on the need to recognise that healthcare comes with financial costs.

On Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), Prof Chilengi said workers affected by the ongoing restructuring would be free to re-apply once new positions are advertised. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home