Three children born into war every minute as maternal deaths rise, health services deteriorate

PORT SUDAN, 14 April 2026 – As Sudan passes the three-year mark of its conflict, an average of three infants have been born into war every minute, Save the Children warns, painting a stark picture of mothers and newborns facing life-threatening conditions amid collapsing health services and repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure.

New analysis of data from Sudan’s Ministry of Health shows roughly 5.6 million babies arrived between April 2023 and April 2026 — more than 5,000 births per day on average, or at least three births every minute [1]. Many of those infants were delivered by displaced women in overcrowded camps or in clinics that lack electricity, basic equipment and skilled staff.

Human-rights monitors have noted a worrying spike in attacks on civilian targets this year. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reports a sharp rise in drone strikes on infrastructure, with over 500 civilians killed between January and mid-March 2026 alone, further stretching an already battered health system.

The Ministry of Health’s figures show maternal mortality climbing by more than 11% — from 263 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022, to 295 per 100,000 in 2025 — leaving Sudan among countries with the highest risk for mothers. The UN estimated the Infant Mortality Rate at 42.9% in 2024. Aid agencies link these trends to interrupted emergency obstetric care, shortages of skilled birth attendants and the wider breakdown of health services driven by conflict.

Since fighting erupted in April 2023, an estimated 70%–80% of health facilities in affected areas have stopped operating. Those that remain open report severe shortages of medicines, supplies, personnel and fuel for generators. The World Health Organization verified more than 200 attacks on health facilities between April 2023 and December 2025, which killed nearly 2,000 people and wounded hundreds, with the bulk of casualties recorded in 2025.

In March, a drone strike on Ed Dain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur killed at least 64 people, including 13 children, and wounded almost 90 others. The assault rendered the hospital non-functional by destroying its emergency room, paediatric ward, surgery unit and a stabilisation centre that treated severely malnourished children.

The closure of the Chad–Sudan border at the end of March has cut a crucial supply route for medical and nutrition goods into Darfur, raising the risk of worsening shortages of essential medicines, nutrition commodities and medical equipment.

Mohamed Abdiladif, Country Director for Save the Children in Sudan, said:

“Every single minute of this conflict, three babies are born into conditions no child should ever face. These children are born in overcrowded shelters, under-equipped or damaged health facilities, or while their families are on the move. Children have a right to receive care and protection, even in conflict.

“Attacks on hospitals and other protected civilian areas, which are safeguarded under international humanitarian law, severely and permanently affect mothers’ and newborns’ access to essential care.

“All parties involved in the conflict must ensure the protection of civilians and allow access to reach families in urgent need of assistance. Humanitarian access must be permitted and facilitated to prevent further loss of life.”

Save the Children is urging an immediate international response to halt the violence, safeguard healthcare and civilians, and secure unhindered humanitarian access as the conflict continues to imperil an entire generation of children.

Save the Children has operated in Sudan since 1983 and currently supports children and families across the country, providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods assistance. The organisation is also aiding Sudanese refugees in Egypt and South Sudan.

NOTES:

[1] The Sudanese Ministry of Health provided Save the Children with figures on the number of babies born between January 2023 and December 2025: 1,890,376 (2023); 1,856,373 (2024); 1,871,837 (2025). For 2023 our analysis took an average of the monthly number of births calculated the number born from 15 April. For 2026 we took the average number of births per month for the past three years and estimated the number born between 1 January 2026 – 15 April 2026 (533,637). We then calculated the number of days and minutes between 15 April 2023 and 15 April 2026 to arrive at three babies born per minute, on average.

[2] The Sudanese Ministry of Health provided Save the Children with figures on maternal mortality: 2022: 263/100,000; 2025: 295/100,000

Source: Save the children