Amidst the chaos of shelling and gunfire, Esraa, a young mother in Sudan, held her newborn son close. When conflict erupted over two years ago, she desperately tried to reach a clinic for her baby, who was struggling with infections and breathing difficulties. But roads were blocked. She couldn’t make it to the clinic. Her son died in her arms.

“It’s incredibly dangerous to move around the city — one of our neighbors died on her way to the hospital,” Esraa told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency.

Forced to flee repeatedly, Esraa and her family eventually took refuge in a crowded shelter. At five months pregnant, she was haunted by the fear of losing another child. “For me, it was like moving from one grave to another. Hope had no place in our hearts.”

Then a UNFPA-supported mobile health team arrived. Esraa received antenatal care, micronutrients, and support from the team, who made regular visits to the shelter.

Mobile health teams in Sudan cover an average of three different locations per week, spending one to two days in each, based on the community's size and needs.

“They not only helped me with medical care but also gave me a sense of safety and hope that I hadn't felt in months,” Esraa said.

Four months later, with the mobile team’s help, Esraa gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

A UNFPA-supported mobile health team provides reproductive health services for women and girls like Esraa, pictured above, who have fled violence and are forced to live in temporary shelters.

“The mobile health teams play a crucial role in preventing maternal deaths, offering a comprehensive range of medical services in war-affected areas of Sudan,” explained Dr. Mohamed Hasan Nahat, coordinator of the team. 

“I reached far-away areas and connected with people I had not been able to reach before. It was a great morale boost for them to know there are organizations that care about them and are not leaving them behind.”

Will you help pregnant women, mothers, girls, and newborns in conflict regions like Sudan get the care they need? Your gift can make an incredible difference in their lives, bring lifesaving care, and restore hope and dignity in the most dire crises.

Thank you for not leaving women and girls behind.

— USA for UNFPA