For newborns in Somalia, many of whom are delivered in dusty, makeshift shelters without the assistance of a midwife or doctor, the risk of infection is high. With drought and conflict driving many women from their homes, one child in every 26 dies within 28 days of birth – many on the same day

All photographs: Kate Holt/Unicef

Hannah Summers and Kate Holt

A community elder prays next to the graves of two babies who died recently at the Najah camp. Local midwife Rahma Mohamed said that more support is needed for health services for expectant mothers. She works at the Salama mother and child health centre. ‘I think more women would come here if they realised it was free and if they had transport,’ she said. ‘We also need support to stay open 24 hours. And we have to do more to persuade women who still prefer to deliver under a tree or use traditional medicine’

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Source: TheGguardian