WHITE NILE STATE, Sudan – In the heart of Sudan’s White Nile State, Kosti Maternity Hospital stands as a beacon of hope. This vital facility, a main referral point, supported by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, is a lifeline not only for the local community but also a quarter of a million internally displaced people across the state, managing an average of 15 childbirths every day and thousands of deliveries annually.
A changing landscape of care
Midwife Fatma Aldoma has been a pillar of Kosti Maternity Hospital since 1974, and has witnessed the ebb and flow of life, and the changing landscape of healthcare over five decades.
"Nowadays, natural childbirths are fewer than Cesarean sections," she observed, highlighting a shift in obstetric practices.
Most recently, she has seen a tide of patients affected by the country’s insecurity. Many of her clients have been displaced by war, and Ms. Aldoma has also seen patients endure the economic fallout of the conflict.
"Some women come without money. We pay out of our pockets to help them with childbirth costs,” Ms. Aldoma revealed. Her wish is that the hospital could get more support for supplies and resources to help women with tests and treatment.
The care Ms. Aldoma provides is making an enormous difference.
“I am happy about the services provided here and the care from the midwives,” said Faj, a 25-year-old mother of five from Tawila.
All her children have been born at Kosti Maternity Hospital, which ably handled all of her deliveries – including one with serious complications. "My biggest problem was the bleeding, but thanks to the medical care at the hospital, they helped me."
Strained health systems and urgent needs
As Sudan’s war – now in its third year – grinds on, the challenges to health systems are immense. Increased demand for services due to the influx of families fleeing conflict, persistent electricity outages, especially during critical surgeries like Caesarean sections, and severe shortages of medical equipment and supplies threaten to unravel the fragile fabric of care.
UNFPA has stepped in to support the hospital with essential medical supplies, including an anaesthetic machine, incubators, oxygen concentrators, ambu bags and an ultrasound unit. These supplies have strengthened the hospital's capacity to provide life-saving maternal and newborn health services, including reducing delays in emergency surgeries and saving the lives of babies born prematurely.
UNFPA’s installation of a solar power system at the hospital has also provided a much-needed alternative energy source, keeping essential services running.
Still, the hospital relies on generators to bridge the gap, underscoring an urgent need for investment in stronger infrastructure and resources.
The consequences of Sudan’s war have been devastating. Tens of thousands are reportedly dead. Hundreds of thousands face famine. Close to 7.5 million people, who have been forced to flee their homes since April 2023, remain displaced.
The country’s infrastructure, including the health system, has been decimated. And the crisis is worsened by severe humanitarian funding shortfalls. With only three months remaining in 2025, UNFPA’s 2025 $145.7 million appeal for Sudan is just 33 per cent funded.
UNFPA and partners have reached more than 586,000 people in Sudan with essential services, including maternal and emergency obstetric care, between January and August 2025. However, the scale of needs far outstrips available resources.
