In the heart of Sudan’s White Nile State, south of the country’s capital Khartoum, Kosti Maternity Hospital treats thousands of deliveries a year, but the ongoing war, the destruction of regional infrastructure and the displacement of millions of people, including many women, have strained its services.
An evolving healthcare landscape
Midwife Fatma Aldoma has been a mainstay of the Kosti maternity ward since 1974 and has recently seen a flood of patients affected by the country’s insecurity.
Many of her clients have been displaced by the war, and Ms. Aldoma has also seen patients suffer the economic consequences of the conflict.
“Some women come without money. We pay out of our own pockets to help them cover the costs of childbirth,” revealed Ms. Aldoma.
Her wish is that the hospital receive more support with supplies and resources to help women get tested and receive treatment.
The care Ms. Aldoma provides makes a huge difference.
“I am happy with the services provided here and the care given by the midwives,” said Faj, 25, a mother of five from Tawila in the troubled Darfur region in the west of the country.
All of her children were born healthy at the Kosti maternity ward, including one with serious complications. “My biggest problem was the bleeding, but thanks to the medical care at the hospital, they helped me.”
Fatma Aldoma, midwife, has worked at the Kosti maternity ward for five decades.
Strained systems, urgent needs
The UN estimates that 11.7 million people have been displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in April 2023, and more than four million have fled to neighboring countries.
Tens of thousands of people are believed to have died. Hundreds of thousands of people face starvation.
Before this new emergency, Sudan was already hosting large populations of displaced people who were providing them with water, food, shelter, health care and basic necessities.
Increased demand for services due to the influx of families fleeing conflict, persistent power outages, particularly during critical surgeries like cesarean sections, and severe shortages of medical equipment and supplies threaten to destroy the fragile fabric of care offered in places like Kosti Maternity Hospital.
UNFPA stepped in to support the hospital with essential medical supplies, including an anesthesia machine, incubators, oxygen concentrators, manual breathing equipment and an ultrasound unit.
Faj was assisted during her five deliveries at the Kosti maternity ward.
Capacity increase
These supplies have strengthened the hospital’s capacity to provide vital maternal and newborn health services, including reducing delays in emergency surgeries and saving the lives of babies born prematurely.
UNFPA’s installation of a solar energy system at the hospital also provided a much-needed alternative energy source, enabling essential services to operate.
Yet the hospital relies on generators to bridge the gap, underscoring the urgent need to invest in stronger infrastructure and resources.
Despite the challenges, humanitarian agencies face serious humanitarian funding gaps. With only three months left until 2025, UNFPA’s 2025 appeal for $145.7 million for Sudan is only 33% funded.
UNFPA and partners provided essential services to more than 586,000 people in Sudan, including emergency maternal and obstetric care, between January and August 2025. However, the scale of need far exceeds available resources.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
