Um Dafuq, October 19 (Darfur24)
Um Dafuq Hospital in South Darfur has resumed operations after months of closure due to a shortage of medical staff, a disruption that sources linked to the deaths of 11 pregnant women who could not access emergency maternity care.
Medical sources told Darfur24 that the closure caused severe hardship for residents, particularly pregnant women who could not reach health facilities in other areas because of long distances and impassable roads during the rainy season.
The sources said the hospital had resumed services following Darfur24 reports highlighting the plight of pregnant women and the difficulties they faced in accessing medical care.
Resident Halima Ahmed welcomed the hospital’s reopening, saying women had been living in fear and anxiety as their expected delivery dates approached because no medical care was available.
A hospital worker told Darfur24 that UNICEF had responded to appeals by supporting the facility, taking responsibility for its operation and providing medical staff and medicines.
Darfur24 has previously published a series of reports documenting deteriorating healthcare services in areas along Sudan’s border with the Central African Republic, particularly in Um Dafuq and Rahad al-Bardi localities, more than 200 kilometres from Nyala, the state capital.
Previous reports documented the deaths of 11 pregnant women in Um Dafuq amid the lack of maternity services. A similar crisis has affected neighbouring Rahad al-Bardi, where hospital services deteriorated after a doctor left and support from a voluntary organization operating the facility was discontinued.
The reopening of Um Dafuq Hospital following UNICEF’s intervention highlights the impact of local appeals and media reporting on efforts to restore essential healthcare. Residents are also calling for similar intervention at Rahad al-Bardi Hospital, which continues to face severe shortages of medical personnel and supplies.
