Reported impacts on Zambia's health system include stockouts of essential medicines, diagnostic tests, and infection control supplies; layoffs of U.S.-supported healthcare workers; and reduced ability to work with electronic medical records. 

Date: 10/25

Region: Africa

Country: Zambia

Topic: Health

Policy Lens: Global Health Security

Additional Context: Released October 2025 via preprint server medRxiv, this University of North Carolina–led study, funded by World Vision, examined the effects of U.S. foreign aid reductions on Zambia’s health system. Researchers assessed 34 facilities in three districts and surveyed 330 healthcare workers on service delivery, staffing, and resource gaps. Find the full report here.


Source: "The impacts of United States foreign development assistance reductions on health system building blocks at healthcare facilities in Zambia: a mixed-methods study," University of North Carolina Water Institute, 2025.


Devex Researcher Note: Separate from USAID's departure in Zambia, the U.S. cut $50 million in medications and medical supplies support following alleged nation-wide theft of certain medicines across the supply chain. Find more information here.