Sudanese refugee women in northeastern Central African Republic (CAR) are increasingly at risk of mortality during childbirth due to significant cuts in U.S. funding that have adversely affected already fragile maternity services. Tens of thousands have fled the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region, overwhelming CAR’s health system, which was struggling even before the influx. CAR ranks among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates globally. In Birao, near the Sudanese border, a limited number of clinics supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provide essential antenatal and emergency obstetric care to both refugees and local residents. However, reductions in U.S. foreign assistance are forcing aid organizations to reconsider staffing and programming at a time when demand is rising. Many refugee women, who often walk for days while pregnant, face compounded health risks, including malnutrition, untreated infections, and lack of access to skilled medical care. Local women are similarly affected due to limited access to clinics exacerbated by ongoing insecurity. Humanitarian agencies are urging donors to maintain and enhance support for maternal health services in CAR, emphasizing that the costs involved are minimal compared to the potential human cost of increased mortality.
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