Nairobi, Nov. 17 -- Every year, hundreds of thousands of Africans travel thousands of miles away to India, the Middle East, or Europe in search of medical care.

The African Export-Import Bank estimates that as much as $7 billion leaves the continent annually for medical treatment abroad. Each year, an estimated 300,000 Africans travel to India alone for healthcare.

This is not just a loss of revenue, it is a loss of trust, of opportunity, and of dignity for the continent. It reflects the deep-seated belief that quality healthcare can only be found elsewhere.

For decades, far too many Africans have looked beyond the continent when illness strikes, not because they want to, but because they often feel they have no choice. This is because...