As the violence in Sudan’s South Kordofan state drives tens of thousands to seek refuge, the health workers at the El-Obeid Maternity Hospital in neighboring North Kordofan are addressing a harrowing reality. The hospital, serving over 230,000 displaced people, many of whom are women and girls facing sexual violence and hunger, is reeling from a severe shortage of medical supplies. Dr.
Hasan Babikir, a doctor at the hospital, recounted the loss of premature triplets, explaining that the lack of intensive care beds forced him to watch them die. “We had to watch two of the babies die before our eyes, “he.
The hospital’s plight is compounded by the absence of essential equipment for surgical and normal deliveries, as well as crucial supplies like antibiotics, surgical sutures, and gloves. “There’s a severe shortage of surgical and normal delivery equipment, as well as essentials such as antibiotics, surgical sutures, and gloves, “Dr. Babikir told the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA. The shortage forces the hospital to purchase these items at exorbitant prices from the market.
The city of El — Obeid, where the hospital is located, has also been subjected to frequent drone attacks, including strikes against health facilities that have resulted in the deaths and injuries of health workers and patients. Despite these challenges, the hospital opened a neonatal intensive care unit at the beginning of 2026, but it is already overwhelmed with only four beds. “We urgently need to expand capacity, “Dr. Babikir emphasized.
The situation is further exacerbated by the rising maternal death rates, due to prolonged waiting times and the inability to provide emergency obstetric care. “We have lost patients due to prolonged waiting times, “Dr. Babikir said noting that although there are two emergency operating rooms, they are currently out of service.
Midwife Laila Sarfo added, “In many cases, emergency patients arrive while all rooms are occupied, sometimes resulting in the loss of the mother or fetus.”The lack of appropriate equipment and space for newborns also poses a risk to their survival.
To combat these challenges, UNFPA has installed a solar power system to mitigate power outages, rehabilitated delivery rooms, and trained and deployed skilled health workers. However, the financial constraints remain a significant barrier. “The salaries we receive are not enough to cover even basic transportation or the meals we need during our shifts, “explained Insaf, a senior midwife. Despite the difficulties, the hospital staff remains committed to providing care, with some midwives working 24-hour shifts to meet the overwhelming demand.
The crisis in Sudan has driven over 33 million people into severe need of humanitarian aid. The conflict has been marked by sexual violence, kidnappings, and child marriage, leaving survivors struggling to access safe spaces and healthcare. In the crowded Al Moaskar Al Mwahhad displacement camp in South Kordofan, UNFPA operates a mobile health clinic and a safe space for women and girls who are survivors or at risk of abuse.
Salma, 50, a woman who has been sheltering at the camp for eight months, expressed the exhaustion of the war, saying, “Women are exhausted from the war. Many crimes have been committed against women, including rape. Many women have been widowed.”.
For girls, the crisis is impacting almost every aspect of their lives and their futures. Ismailia, a 16-year-old girl, shared her hope to return to her town and school, saying, “We travelled by donkey for three days, and after those trucks brought us here. I hope to return to my town and my school.
Please allow us to rebuild our home and go back.”UNFPA is urgently calling for $129 million to support women and girls in 2026, of which just $33 million has so far been pledged.
Source: allafrica
