Field, an African healthtech company, has announced the launch of a major service aimed at addressing maternal mortality across Africa. This innovative route-to-market service will focus on introducing cutting-edge therapies and emerging health technologies designed to address the critical issues surrounding maternal, newborn, and child health, alongside improving nutrition. The initiative is supported by an $11 million investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, solidifying Field’s role in transforming Africa’s healthcare supply chain and infrastructure.
Tackling Africa’s Maternal Health Crisis
Maternal mortality remains one of the most urgent public health challenges in Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the continent accounts for a staggering 69% of global maternal deaths, with Nigeria alone representing 29% of maternal fatalities worldwide in 2020. A woman in Africa is 45 times more likely to die during childbirth than in Europe. These alarming statistics highlight the pressing need for innovative interventions that can reverse the trend and improve maternal survival rates across the continent.
Field’s new service aims to introduce life-saving therapies and technologies to regions most affected by maternal mortality. At the core of this initiative are interventions like heat-stable carbetocin and calibrated drapes, which are designed to detect and treat postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of maternal death in Africa. By rapidly accelerating access to these therapies, Field aims to significantly reduce maternal fatalities and related complications such as preeclampsia, offering hope to millions of expectant mothers across the continent.
Technology-Driven Healthcare Innovation
Field’s new service is built on its proprietary technology, which has been the backbone of its operations since the company’s inception in 2015. Over the past eight years, Field has facilitated over 800 million health interventions across more than 60 therapeutic areas, including family planning, HIV, and tuberculosis. The company’s extensive healthcare network currently spans over 40,000 private and public healthcare providers in rural and urban areas across Kenya and Nigeria.
This initiative will leverage Field’s streamlined distribution infrastructure, which has already transformed the healthcare supply chain in Africa, and bring much-needed health solutions to underserved regions. By digitizing healthcare systems, hospitals, and private healthcare providers at the state and federal levels, Field will improve access to critical health services. Additionally, the initiative will offer financing solutions to help healthcare providers improve their purchasing power, enabling them to invest in emerging medical technologies. The service will also include last-mile delivery, enhancing day-to-day health services, and installation of pharma-grade refrigerators, which are essential for maintaining the efficacy of temperature-sensitive drugs and vaccines.
Public-Private Coalition for Health Transformation
To ensure the success of this initiative, Field will establish a coalition that includes governments, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other key stakeholders. This coalition will work collaboratively to ensure that maternal health programs are implemented at scale, making this one of the most ambitious public health efforts on the continent.
Field’s CEO and Founder, Michael Moreland, emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration in addressing Africa’s health challenges, “This is public health powered by technology. Today’s announcement recognizes the products and services that Field has built over the past eight years, scaled and integrated into large-scale public health programs. This is what we believe health technology companies should be doing—joining innovative, impactful coalitions between private and public entities.”
Moreland also highlighted the importance of digitization in improving healthcare access: “Digitally powering, networking, and financing health systems at scale will have an overwhelmingly positive effect on access to quality care. With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are set to rapidly improve mother and child survival in every setting.”
Field’s Role in the Changing African Health Landscape
Field’s influence in Africa’s healthcare sector goes beyond maternal health. The company has been instrumental in creating the largest pharmaceutical supply chain platform on the continent through its service, Field Supply, which distributes over 3,000 quality healthcare products across more than 50 therapeutic areas. Field Supply currently operates in 24 cities across Nigeria and Kenya, reaching over 2,500 pharmacies and hospitals, including government facilities, large hospital systems, retail chains, and family-operated drug stores.
The service also provides trade financing solutions to address working capital constraints, a critical issue that often prevents healthcare providers from investing in new medical interventions. Through its financing options, Field is helping to create a more resilient and sustainable healthcare ecosystem across Africa.
The Future of Maternal Health in Africa
Field’s new service has the potential to reshape maternal health services in Africa by providing timely access to life-saving therapies and strengthening healthcare systems across the continent. As global pharmaceutical and health companies exit the region due to economic challenges, Field is stepping up to fill the gap and ensure that healthcare delivery continues to improve.
Michael Moreland acknowledged the current economic climate, stating:”We’ve seen genuine, meaningful gains being made in healthcare delivery outcomes. However, in this current tough economic climate, without coordinated systems and processes, the progress will slow or slip. Alongside our funders, our role is to ensure this doesn’t happen because the problems the healthcare space is facing will not be solved on their own.”
As Field continues to scale its operations and introduce new health technologies, the company’s innovative supply chain model is expected to become a blueprint for healthcare delivery not just in Africa, but globally.
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