War with Iran delays contraceptive deliveries to Zambia — Fortune
The war with Iran forced carriers to reroute around conflict-affected waterways, delaying the delivery of contraceptives to Zambia. A shipment of contraceptives ordered by the country in November arrived more than three months late, Fortune reports, citing the Associated Press.
According to the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, carriers began rerouting cargo to avoid waterways in the conflict zone. The organization’s representative in Zambia said that because of the war, the country was initially considered relatively low-risk, but the contraceptives arrived only this week.
Funding shortfall
The delays are occurring amid cuts to international aid and the closure of reproductive health facilities. UNFPA estimates that aid cuts this year will cause a global contraceptive funding shortfall of $185 million.
According to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, nearly 1,400 facilities providing reproductive health services had closed worldwide by December. Of these, 1,175 were located in Africa, and approximately 5.9 million women were left without such services.
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Mobile clinics in Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, mobile clinics run by Population Services Zimbabwe provide adolescents with contraceptives, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, counseling, and information on sexual and reproductive health. Since 2021, a single mobile unit in Epworth and neighboring communities has provided services to more than 100,000 adolescents.
The organization, affiliated with MSI Reproductive Choices, lost a five-year $9 million grant awarded in 2023 after the Trump administration wound down many aid programs in 2025. According to the organization, more than $6 million of that amount remained unused.
Part of the shortfall was temporarily covered by Swedish funding, but it ended in August after the Swedish government decided to gradually phase out aid to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia, and Bolivia, prioritizing Ukraine. Zimbabwe’s Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora said the country had spent $6.3 million on purchasing contraceptives since 2022 and plans to allocate another $2.25 million annually in 2026 and 2027.
In the remote Binga district in northwestern Zimbabwe, mobile clinics reduced their operations due to a lack of funding. When they returned in August after a six-month break, girls aged 16–17, some with young children, came to the clinic vehicles.
