Zambia has signed a $1.5 billion health financing agreement with the United States after both countries resolved disagreements over provisions concerning the sharing of medical specimens and patient data. The agreement, signed on Thursday, followed months of stalled negotiations over concerns about data privacy and Washington’s reported attempt to link health funding to access to Zambia’s critical mineral resources. The Zambian government clarified that the health financing deal was separate from any agreement involving the country’s mineral wealth, adding that negotiations on mineral resources would be conducted independently. Zambia’s Health Minister, Roma Chilengi, said the revised agreement restricted data sharing to information required to monitor and evaluate health programmes funded by the United States. Under the five-year arrangement, combined contributions from both countries are expected to provide $3.6 billion for health services in Zambia. The agreement is expected to support healthcare delivery while outlining a gradual increase in Zambia’s domestic spending on health as the United States progressively reduces its financial assistance.