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Kaltoun Mohammed with baby Abdallah.
[Photo: Daniel Dickinson, European Commission Humanitarian Aid department]
This is the first time Kaltoun Mohammed has given birth in a clinic. 'My labour lasted more than 12 hours, but the birth was easy as I had a lot of help,' she said.
Kaltoun Mohammed is one of an estimated 12,500 people who have sought refuge in Yaseen following years of instability as a result of fighting between rival clans and widespread banditry in southern Darfur. She arrived in the village three years ago from Muhajiriya after two of her brothers, who were civilians, were killed in the crossfire.
The health clinic was set up in 2004 to provide services for these internally displaced people (IDPs) as well as other vulnerable people living in the area. In total, around 40,000 patients use the centre, which provides primary health care including basic obstetrics. The nearest other option for health care is in El Dein, 90 minutes away by car.
Leah Amadi is a nurse midwife working for Merlin, the international non-governmental organisation that runs the clinic. The challenge, she says, is to ensure pregnant women use the services available. 'There are many women who should use our clinic but don't. Only around 6% of births in this area take place here in the clinic. We need to increase this figure to at least 15%.'
There are various reasons why women don't come. Many believe traditional methods are better, others are prevented from attending the clinics by their husband.
'Sometimes, women arrive here because they are experiencing problems in labour,' said Leah. 'A number of children have died in the womb because their mother has sought treatment too late.'
The clinic works hard at health education and it is expected that more women will use its health services in the future. Free mosquito nets are one incentive being provided to patients.
The insecurity that drove Kaltoun Mohammed and her family to Yaseen in the first place creates a number of serious challenges to the effective running of the clinic. Dr Imanol Berakoetxea is from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) which has funded the clinic as part of its US$184 million (135 million euros) 2009 Sudan programme.
'The area around Yaseen remains dangerous due to inter-clan fighting and banditry, so the transport of severe cases to referral hospitals is difficult. Moreover, the staff of international aid agencies have to fly in by helicopter and are only able to spend short lengths of time here. This makes the management of a rural clinic like this one extremely costly and difficult.'
Back at Kaltoun Mohammed's grass hut, baby Abdallah, now just 16 hours old, is sleeping. A midwife is in attendance and will carry on making home visits for another week or so. Although Kaltoun Mohammed hopes to return to her village soon she reveals with a smile that she will have her next child at the clinic, not at home.
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