NEWS | Zim, US cross swords over US$367 million health package facts
HARARE – Frosty relations between Harare and Washington are now playing out over facts relating to the US$367 million health package, with Zimbabwe insisting the government rejected the deal due to outrageous demands, while the United States argues that the position is not factual and is “categorically false.”
Zimbabwe last week insisted, through Information Minister Dr Zhemu Soda, that the government declined the US offer because there were conditions attached to it that they did not like.
“One of the conditions was that we were supposed to provide biological samples for research that was supposed to be undertaken in America as a condition for the money that was supposed to be given to us. We were also supposed to provide biological data of some people here in Zimbabwe that they needed, again as a condition for the money that was supposed to be given to Zimbabwe.
“However, they were going to produce some vaccines for different diseases and ailments, and the vaccines were not going to be shared with the Government of Zimbabwe. This is what they indicated to us, and, as the government, we felt we could not put the lives of our people at risk because we did not know the intention. As much as we required the money, we could not do that at the expense of the citizens of Zimbabwe,” he added.
However, the US on Monday hit back at Zimbabwe’s claims and said the assertions were not true.
“The MOU required very reasonable conditions: that the Zimbabwean government co-invest, assuring sustainability of the programs; provide financial accountability and transparency to guarantee funds benefit the people and communities of Zimbabwe; and share specimens when outbreaks occur, which is a long-standing global practice to quickly develop solutions. Assertions that the United States was seeking personal/private data of Zimbabweans are categorically false,” a US embassy spokesperson said.
“Any suggestion that Zimbabweans would not have benefited from American medical research is disproven by decades of U.S. assistance, through which Zimbabweans have received U.S. treatments and vaccines. U.S. Embassy notes that the Government of Zimbabwe declined our offer of this bilateral Health MOU while these specific terms were still open for negotiation.”
The embassy said the agreement would have delivered US$365 million over five years to support HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health programs, laboratory systems, and outbreak preparedness.
“We reject the recent mischaracterization of the terms of the Health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) made by a high-level Government of Zimbabwe official, which described the MOU as a threat when, in fact, it would have provided US$365 million in lifesaving assistance over five years for Zimbabwean health programs, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, laboratories, and outbreak response,” the embassy spokesperson added.
Reporting by Anesu MasamvuZiFM Stereo