Field Intelligence, an African healthtech company, has announced the launch of a new route-to-market service aimed at tackling maternal mortality, newborn and child health, as well as nutrition in Africa. With an initial $11 million backing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the initiative seeks to introduce emerging therapies and strengthen the supply chain for healthcare providers across the continent.
This new service will leverage Field Intelligence ’s proprietary technology, distribution, and financing services, which currently support a network of over 40,000 private and public healthcare providers in Kenya and Nigeria. By using this infrastructure, Field Intelligence aims to address Africa’s most pressing health challenges, starting with maternal health. The initiative is designed to deliver life-saving treatments to some of the continent’s most underserved populations.
Maternal mortality remains one of the most urgent health issues in Africa, where the likelihood of a woman dying in childbirth is 45 times higher than in Europe. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the continent accounted for 69% of global maternal deaths in 2020, with Nigeria alone representing 29% of all maternal deaths worldwide.
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a leading cause of maternal mortality, will be a primary focus of Field’s new service. Expectant mothers will gain access to therapies like heat-stable carbetocin, which helps prevent PPH, and calibrated drapes, which aid in the detection and treatment of excessive bleeding during childbirth. Other interventions will address complications such as preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder that poses significant risks to mothers and infants alike.
Field’s CEO and founder, Michael Moreland, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “The consequences of poor or non-existent maternal health services fall hardest on Africa’s most vulnerable populations. This initiative represents public health powered by technology and recognizes the systems and solutions we’ve built over the past eight years. It’s what we believe healthtech companies should be doing — creating impactful coalitions between private and public entities.”
The new maternal health initiative builds on Field’s broader capabilities. Since its inception in 2015, the company has facilitated over 800 million health interventions across more than 60 therapeutic areas, including family planning, HIV, and tuberculosis. Now, with a focus on maternal mortality, Field is expanding its operations in Kenya and Nigeria, with plans to move into other regions in the future.
Central to the service is a comprehensive digital overhaul for private healthcare providers, hospitals, and government healthcare bodies at the state and federal levels. This will include new financing options to enhance healthcare operations and purchasing power. Additionally, last-mile delivery solutions and the installation of pharma-grade refrigerators are set to improve day-to-day healthcare services in remote areas.
Field Intelligence also plans to establish a coalition of key stakeholders, including governments, manufacturers, and health organizations, to support the initiative. This multi-stakeholder approach represents one of the most ambitious maternal health programs in Africa to date, aiming to coordinate efforts across the public and private sectors to address the continent’s maternal health crisis.
The African healthcare sector has been under increasing strain in recent years, exacerbated by the exit of several global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies from the continent. Despite the progress made in improving healthcare delivery outcomes, economic challenges and fragmented systems continue to hamper growth.
Moreland acknowledges these difficulties but remains optimistic. “We’ve seen meaningful gains in healthcare delivery, but without coordinated systems and processes, progress will slow or even reverse. Field’s role is to ensure that doesn’t happen. With the support of our funders, we are building a technology-powered infrastructure blueprint for public health services that can address these challenges head-on.”
Field’s latest maternal health initiative is part of a broader strategy to scale its technology solutions across Africa. The company’s pharmaceutical supply chain platform, Field Supply, is the largest in Africa, distributing over 3,000 quality products across more than 50 therapeutic areas. Its distribution service, Shelf Life, reaches over 2,500 pharmacies and hospitals in 24 cities in Kenya and Nigeria, including government facilities, large hospital systems, retail chains, and family-operated drug stores.
In addition to distributing medical supplies, the platform provides trade financing solutions to address working capital constraints that often prevent healthcare providers from investing in new therapies and equipment. This service enables hospitals and pharmacies to access critical products and treatments that would otherwise be financially out of reach.
Moreland believes that by digitally powering, networking, and financing healthcare systems at scale, Field can help transform access to quality care in Africa. “With the funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are positioned to rapidly improve survival rates for mothers and children in Africa.”
As Field continues to expand its operations, it remains committed to building partnerships with governments, NGOs, and private entities to address Africa’s healthcare challenges. The launch of this maternal health service represents a significant step in that direction, showcasing the potential of technology and collaboration to save lives.
Through coordinated efforts and innovative solutions, Field and its partners aim to reduce the devastating toll of maternal mortality across Africa, bringing quality healthcare to millions of women and children in need.