Sudan's War Takes Devastating Toll on Newborns

Sudan's ongoing conflict has created a dire situation for newborns, with at least three babies born every minute into conditions that no child should ever face, according to Save the Children.

The international charity warned that since the start of the war in April 2023, 5.6 million births have occurred in Sudan, meaning 5,000 children are born daily in a country where millions are struggling to survive on just one meal a day.

Save the Children's country director in Sudan, Mohamed Abdiladif, stated, “These children are born in overcrowded shelters, under-equipped or damaged health facilities, or while their families are on the move.” He emphasized that “Children have a right to receive care and protection, even in conflict.”

Conflict Background

The war in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, as a rivalry between Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, escalated into a full-blown conflict that quickly spread across the country.

The fighting has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, displaced approximately 12 million people, and created the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. Both sides have been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the RSF implicated in atrocities in the Darfur region that bear the hallmarks of genocide.

Healthcare in Crisis

The conflict has pushed Sudan's healthcare system to the edge, with widespread violence and attacks on civilian infrastructure straining the already fragile system and placing millions of mothers and newborns at risk.

The rate of maternal deaths during childbirth has increased by more than 12 percent, from 263 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 to 295 per 100,000 in 2025. Up to 80 percent of health facilities in conflict-affected areas have become nonoperational, while those still functioning face shortages of supplies, medicine, staff, and fuel.

The World Health Organization has verified over 200 attacks on health facilities since the start of the war, resulting in more than 2,000 deaths. A recent drone attack on the al-Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur killed at least 64 people, including 13 children and several healthcare workers, rendering the hospital nonfunctional.

Mohamed Abdiladif emphasized that attacks on healthcare facilities “severely and permanently” affect mothers' and newborns' access to essential care, and called on all parties involved in the conflict to “ensure the protection of civilians and allow access to reach families in urgent need of assistance.”