A handful of African nations are rejecting American health aid in 2026, outraged by the Trump administration’s demands for access to private health records and even minerals in exchange for lifesaving medicine…While the Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicenter of the Ebola crisis, has struck a deal with the United States, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Zambia have said no or dragged out negotiations… Talks with Zambia have stalled as the nation challenged Trump’s terms for a $2 billion American aid offer, calling U.S. demands for a critical-minerals deal, preferential treatment for U.S. companies and access to private health data unacceptable.

Zimbabwe was the first to reject a U.S. package, citing demands for extensive access to sensitive health data for American research and commercial use, without guaranteed benefits for the southern African country’s population. The U.S. aid offer totaled roughly $325 million, state media said…

The U.S. demand for pathogen and outbreak data has also raised concerns in Africa. Analysts suggest the U.S. is using bilateral deals to secure a competitive advantage for American pharmaceutical companies. Githinji Gitahi, chief executive of Amref Health Africa, a Nairobi-based nonprofit, warned that signing away health and specimen data weakens African nations’ negotiating power for access to future vaccines and treatments under WHO benefit-sharing programs.

Excerpt from Caroline Kimeu et al.,  Trump Wants Minerals, Health Data for Aid. African Nations Are Pushing Back, WSJ, May 31, 2026