In Somalia, pregnant women in rural and conflict-affected areas can face overwhelming obstacles when trying to access lifesaving healthcare. A limited number of functional health facilities and shortages of skilled birth attendants leave many women with no choice but to give birth at home—a dangerous proposition in a country with one of the highest maternal …
When Rasha Saqallah joined International Medical Corps’ first field hospital, located in Rafah, in 2024 to work as a chef in the hospital’s kitchen, she had no idea how demanding her job would be. She was one of the first chefs to arrive and was taken aback by the sheer number of patients and injuries, …
Nyabol Ochol is a young woman living in South Sudan, a country with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates. Women who live in remote areas often are hours from skilled maternity care, and seasonal flooding can further delay access to lifesaving treatment. Nyabol lives in Ahiaobang, a village in Fashoda County along the …
Partnering with the US Government to Stop the Spread of Ebola in Central Africa When an outbreak of infectious disease happens, communities are often unprepared. After an outbreak of Ebola was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in mid-May, many health facilities had to be adapted to screen and treat patients—and some …
Being pregnant in a war zone is difficult enough. But when a woman is expecting multiple babies, the uncertainty of survival can make it all seem even more overwhelming. Nisreen Abu Zreik, a 35-year-old mother of three from Nuseirat in central Gaza, had been living with constant worry since learning that she was pregnant with …
On May 1, the first case of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD)—a telltale symptom of cholera—was reported in the local government area (LGA) of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. Since then, cholera has spread into 18 LGAs and has caused nearly 15,000 cases and 115 deaths. Cholera is a bacterial disease that’s …
A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Mindanao region in the southern Philippines on June 8, damaging infrastructure, disrupting essential services and forcing thousands of families from their homes. The quake was immediately followed by a series of powerful aftershocks, triggering tsunami warnings that prompted coastal evacuations across nine provinces. International Medical Corps’ in-country staff responded …
International Medical Corps is working with the government of Nigeria to expand access to specialised mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in the Gwoza Local Government Area (LGA). Through targeted outreach, care is now reaching people where they are—helping people affected by years of insecurity, displacement and economic hardship. In this context, many people living …
In northern Nigeria, sisterhood is sacred. If one sister dies during childbirth or soon after giving birth, another often adopts her newborn niece or nephew. It’s a common cultural practice that maintains family bonds and preserves the memory and motherly love of the lost sister through the bond formed between aunt and child. I know …
Pregnancy doesn’t stop for war, displacement or outbreaks of disease—and neither should healthcare. Though progress has been made globally on maternal and newborn health outcomes, progress is threatened in the 29 countries with humanitarian response plans—which, while representing only one-third of global births, account for 58% of maternal deaths, 41% of stillbirths and 39% of …