A hospital in South Darfur’s remote Um Dafuq locality has resumed medical services following months of disruption, with support reportedly provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The reopening follows repeated appeals from residents and medical workers after the absence of doctors and essential healthcare services left pregnant women facing life-threatening complications.
Medical sources told local Sudanese media that at least 11 pregnant women died during the period of disruption, as families struggled to reach alternative medical facilities.
Long distances, deteriorating roads and seasonal flooding made emergency transfers particularly difficult, leaving many patients unable to access treatment during childbirth.
A hospital employee said UNICEF had responded to appeals for assistance by supporting the facility’s reopening and providing medical personnel and medicines.
The reported UNICEF assistance has not yet been independently confirmed through an official agency statement.
Local resident Halima Ahmed welcomed the return of medical services, saying women had previously faced considerable fear as their expected delivery dates approached because of the lack of professional care.
Earlier reporting documented a broader maternal healthcare emergency in Um Dafuq, including a previous figure of 18 deaths over seven months. The latest report cites 11 deaths, although the difference between the two figures has not been clarified.
Um Dafuq lies along Sudan’s southern border with the Central African Republic, in an area where years of conflict and deteriorating infrastructure have restricted access to essential healthcare.
Medical services also remain severely disrupted in neighbouring Reheid al-Birdi, where the departure of a doctor and the suspension of humanitarian support have left the hospital struggling to operate.
Residents and medical workers are now calling for similar assistance to restore services in Reheid al-Birdi and other underserved communities across South Darfur.
