Several African countries are pushing back against the Trump administration’s new bilateral health funding agreements, arguing that the deals prioritize US strategic and commercial interests over equitable partnerships. The agreements, introduced after the dismantling of USAID, require recipient governments to increase domestic health spending while granting US pharmaceutical firms greater opportunities to participate in healthcare delivery. Some countries, including Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, have declined to sign, citing various concerns. Ghana refused the deal due to the scope of data requested by the US government, as well as the lack of reciprocity in terms of data protection and sovereignty. Zambia objected to bundling health funding with a minerals agreement, while Zimbabwe worried treatments developed from shared data might not be accessible to its citizens. Critics also argue that the shift away from multilateral institutions such as the WHO could weaken global responses to future health emergencies.
BBC