In southern Darfur, all lights are flashing red, warns Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Maternal mortality is rising and malnutrition among children is increasing exponentially. If this development is not stopped, it will have disastrous consequences for generations to come, the organization warns.
As a result of the war in Sudan, which has been raging since April last year, everything is in short supply. Many pregnant women and newborns are dying from sepsis due to unsanitary conditions.
"I'm in my 30s and have given birth three times. Each time, my child has died," says a patient in the report.
"Shamefully forgotten"
During 2024, maternal mortality has increased by over 50 percent at the two maternity wards supported by MSF. Most of the deaths could have been avoided with simple means such as soap, antibiotics, and sterilization, according to the organization.
Children born in war start their lives in a vicious circle of hunger, with no end in sight.
"Starving mothers lead to starving children – all shamefully forgotten," says Noor Rijnberg, who works with sexual and reproductive health in the region, in the report.
In need of more help
Of 30,000 children under two years old who were examined in Nyala in southern Darfur in August, more than every third child was acutely malnourished.
The actual figure is likely to be significantly higher across the entire region, notes MSF. The organization wants to get the world to react.
"We know that Sudan is a challenging place to work. But if you wait for the challenges to disappear on their own, you'll get nowhere. For thousands of mothers and children, it's already too late," says Gillian Burkhardt.
Cause of death among pregnant women registered by Doctors Without Borders, January-July 2024, in percent:
Sepsis: 30 percent
Eclampsia (pregnancy poisoning): 27
Unknown: 14
Blood loss after delivery: 9
Uterine rupture (ruptured uterus): 7
Other: 7
Heart failure: 5
Blood loss before delivery: 2
Source: Doctors Without Borders: "Driven into oblivion: The Toll of Conflict and Neglect on the Health of Mothers and Children in South Darfur", September 2024
