Minerals for aid: Are new US health deals ‘exploiting’ African countries?

** The corridors of power in Lusaka are abuzz with growing apprehension over what some are calling a troubling shift in American foreign policy, particularly concerning global health aid. Zambia, a nation long reliant on international partnerships to bolster its public health infrastructure, finds itself alongside neighbouring Zimbabwe in a precarious position, pushing back against what is increasingly perceived as a transactional and potentially exploitative approach from the United States. Reports emerging, notably from Al Jazeera English, suggest that Washington is now seeking concessions in the form of health data and access to critical mineral resources as a prerequisite for resuming global health aid, which is slated for suspension in late 2025. This development has sent ripples of concern across the continent, raising fundamental questions about sovereignty, equitable partnerships, and the true cost of international assistance. The impending suspension of US global health aid is not merely a bureaucratic adjustment; it carries dire humanitarian implications, especially for African nations. Projections indicate that such a withdrawal could lead to a significant surge in child mortality, a devastating setback for countries like Zambia that have made considerable strides in reducing infant and child deaths over the past two decades, largely thanks to sustained international support. For Zambia, where the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis remains a critical public health priority, and where maternal and child health programmes are often underpinned by foreign funding, the prospect of losing this aid without a viable alternative is deeply alarming. The notion that this vital support might now be contingent upon handing over sensitive health data, potentially compromising patient privacy and national health strategies, alongside access to our nation's mineral wealth, strikes many as an unacceptable proposition that undermines the very spirit of hu