Since early 2025, healthcare facilities across Zambia have reported growing shortages of essential medicines, including antimalarials, antiretrovirals, antibiotics, and family planning supplies. Departure of USAID funding has disrupted distribution schedules. According to a nurse, clinics have rationed antiretroviral drugs by giving them to patients every 6 months instead of every 3 months, due to anticipated shortages. A May 2025 reduction in U.S. funding for medicine procurement in Zambia, separate from USAID, also contributed to the strained medicine supply chain, exacerbating stockouts and access challenges.
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 nationwide theft of certain medicines across the supply chain. Find more information here.