By Rahim Abdul
The United States has announced plans to begin winding down its health assistance to Zimbabwe after the country withdrew from negotiations on a proposed bilateral health agreement valued at US$367 million.
In a statement released on February 24, 2026, the United States Embassy in Harare expressed regret over Harare’s decision to step back from the five-year funding arrangement aimed at strengthening the country’s health sector.
The proposed agreement would have supported critical programmes targeting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, as well as disease outbreak preparedness.
U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, described the development as disappointing, saying the partnership had the potential to significantly improve the lives of millions of Zimbabweans.
According to Tremont, about 1.2 million people currently receiving HIV treatment through U.S.-backed initiatives stood to benefit from the expanded framework.
The deal was structured under a co funding model designed to encourage long term sustainability and greater self reliance within Zimbabwe’s health system.
Washington highlighted that it has invested more than US$1.9 billion in Zimbabwe’s health sector since 2006, underscoring a long standing commitment to combating major diseases.
The United States also noted that similar bilateral health agreements have already been signed with 16 other African nations under the same sustainability focused approach.
With Zimbabwe’s withdrawal, U.S. officials say attention will now shift toward responsibly scaling down assistance while maintaining respect for the country’s policy decisions.
Despite the setback, the U.S. government said it acknowledges Zimbabwe’s pledge to continue fighting HIV/AIDS and other public health threats.
The development raises concerns about the future of externally supported health programmes and the potential funding gaps that could emerge in the coming years.
As the situation unfolds, the focus will now be on how Zimbabwe mobilises domestic and alternative resources to sustain critical health services previously backed by American funding.
