Nairobi, April 7 -- Over 700 women die every day from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with seven in 10 of these deaths occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of these deaths are preventable, yet the basic medical products needed to save lives are often missing from the clinics where women give birth. In too many facilities, a midwife may have the training, skill, and determination to save lives, but not the tools. This is the reality across many parts of Africa, where preventable deaths continue to occur.

This challenge is not accidental. It is the result of a system that, for decades, has left African countries heavily reliant on imported vaccines, diagnostics, medicines, and medical devices. These products often travel thous...