Sudan Conflict: Maternity Care Crisis in South Kordofan

Medical professionals at the El-Obeid Maternity Hospital in North Kordofan, Sudan, are reporting a critical collapse in healthcare delivery as violence in the neighboring South Kordofan state forces tens of thousands of displaced people to seek refuge in the area.

The facility, which serves as the only referral hospital in western Sudan, is currently providing care for more than 230,000 displaced individuals. The patient population consists largely of women and girls who are facing hunger, sexual violence, and a near total absence of healthcare services.

Critical Shortages and Patient Loss

Dr. Hasan Babikir, the Director of El-Obeid Maternity Hospital, has described a dire environment where a lack of essential supplies is resulting in preventable deaths. He reported that the hospital faces severe shortages of normal delivery equipment, surgical tools, antibiotics, gloves, and surgical sutures.

Because of these shortages, hospital staff are forced to purchase medical supplies from the local market at very high prices to maintain operations.

We had to watch two of the babies die before our eyes,

Dr. Hasan Babikir, describing the death of premature triplets due to a lack of intensive care beds

The hospital’s capacity has been further strained by a surge in deliveries. In February 2026, the facility recorded an average of 25 babies delivered per day, an increase from the usual average of 17 per day.

Infrastructure and Security Challenges

The facility is struggling with systemic infrastructure failures, including power outages and high fuel costs, which Dr. Babikir stated make operating on patients challenging or sometimes impossible. The hospital’s two emergency operating rooms are currently out of service, contributing to prolonged waiting times and increased maternal death rates.

In an effort to address neonatal needs, the hospital opened a neonatal intensive care unit at the beginning of 2026. However, the unit contains only four beds, which remain constantly occupied, leaving the facility in urgent need of expanded capacity.

Security threats have also targeted the healthcare system directly. The city of El-Obeid has experienced frequent drone attacks, including multiple strikes against health facilities that have resulted in injuries and deaths of both patients and health workers.

The crisis extends to the staff’s basic resources; many health workers lack proper medical uniforms and are forced to wear personal clothing that is not suitable for a medical environment.

These conditions have been highlighted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, as part of a broader humanitarian crisis involving war and displacement in Sudan.