Sudan Reopens 15 Maternity Wards in Khartoum as Births Rise

Omdurman Maternity Hospital now handles about 60 births per day after reopening, compared with one or two cases daily at first, Al Jazeera reported. The Khartoum State Ministry of Health repaired and reopened 15 maternity wards across the capital, including Al-Dayat, also known as Omdurman Maternity Hospital, and the Saudi Hospital. Capital hospitals record roughly 7,000 new deliveries per month.

Complication and mortality rates for mothers and infants rose sharply while wards stayed closed during the fighting between Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the ministry official said. Rates have begun to fall as services resume. Al-Toma Jabara gave birth to her daughter Doaa at Omdurman Maternity Hospital two days before July 6.

Fighting had separated her from her husband for two years. She described the birth as a new beginning after years of bombardment and displacement. Fatima Abdel Rahman traveled from Al Jazirah state to Bahri Hospital for delivery.

Her family spent a large share of its income on transport and lodging, and she bought medicines from outside pharmacies at higher prices because of shortages inside the facility. A natural birth at a government hospital costs about 130,000 Sudanese pounds, or $216, while a caesarean section costs around 400,000 pounds, or $666.

Private hospitals charge 500,000 pounds for a natural birth and between 600,000 and 800,000 pounds for a caesarean.

The hospital includes a caesarean section department, an intensive care unit and a neonatal department with about 140 incubators. Patients from Al Jazirah and Kordofan still face long journeys and high transport costs. Hospitals report shortages of basic medicines, emergency rooms that often exceed capacity, and a staffing gap left by the wartime departure of doctors and nurses.