Rhino: Agencies – 17 March 2024 – Ten months into the crisis in Sudan, more than 108,000 pregnant women are struggling to access the medical support they need, according to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The report notes that in conflict-affected areas, two-thirds of hospitals (67%) have been closed, and many maternity facilities have been forced to stop operating. This has left many women with no choice but to give birth at home, without the assistance of skilled birth attendants.

In North Darfur, where many displaced people have settled, women and children face the additional risk of contracting waterborne diseases due to the disruption of water supplies caused by the crisis.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) reports that malnutrition is widespread, with many families reporting symptoms such as stunted growth among children in their communities. The reasons given for the difficulty in accessing food include lack of money, insecurity caused by the conflict, and the lack of food availability in markets and high prices.