أجيال - Ajyal

In spite of the progress that has been achieved in reducing infant mortality worldwide, a large proportion of deaths still occur in Africa south of the Sahara. One out of ten infants dies before reaching the age of five, and that deaths among the newborn is on the rise, and those who are born to poor families pay twice the toll. The Millennium Development Goals pledged to reduce newborn and infant

mortality by the year 2015. Few months away from this target date, newborn and infant mortality in Sudan is on the rise. Equally, women are still unaware of their health rights, and do not make full use of the available medical facilities due to several reasons including poverty and its aftermath. Taking good care of women does not only improve their health conditions and those of their children, but consolidates respect of basic human rights. Working closely with Omdurman Maternity Hospital, we found that around 100 infants are born every day (3600 born in 2013). Ten percent of mothers in this hospital failed to cover the basic needs of their newborn because they were poor or the infants were born out of wedlock. We believe that civil society has a role to play in reducing the social and health burden affecting this vulnerable sector. Ajyal thought the least that it can offer is to provide covers, towels, and sanitary consumables, and possibly food to these infants.