The first hospital specialising in maternal and neonatal care has opened in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, in a step forward in improving healthcare for pregnant women, mothers and babies living in the world's largest refugee camp, Save the Children said.
The opening of the new Maternal and Child Hospital, the first hospital to specialise in maternal and neonatal health in the Rohingya camps, represents a glimmer of hope in an otherwise increasingly difficult environment in the camps.
Cuts to foreign aid in 2025, coupled with an overall reduction in donor funding, has led to the closure of some healthcare centres in Cox's Bazar and forced hundreds of schools in the camp to close.1
Eight years since they were forced to flee their homes in Myanmar, more than 1 million Rohingya refugees remain in the camps in Cox's Bazar in Southeastern Bangladesh. More than half of those displaced are women and girls.
The new facility, which is the only one of its kind and run by Save the Children, aims to provide 24/7 emergency obstetric care and safe, dignified maternal and newborn care. It also aims to address critical gaps in referral-level services within the camp, in coordination with local partners and the government.
Somunda*, 20, was the first mother to deliver her baby at the hospital. Somunda said:
"After delivering my baby at the new hospital, I felt very satisfied. Everything was clean and well-maintained. The new labour room was clean and comfortable, and the bathroom facilities were very good. The midwives provided sincere and caring service. There were proper cabinets to keep personal belongings. I will definitely recommend this facility to my friends and relatives."
The hospital has 59 beds and is designed to care for both Rohingya refugee and women from host communities in Cox's Bazar, where access to specialised healthcare is limited and maternal and newborn mortality rates remain high.2
The hospital's services will include caesarean sections (C-section), emergency newborn care and stabilization, antenatal care, nutrition support, services for gender-based violence survivors, and referral and ambulance coordination for advanced care when required.
The facility will be staffed by a team that includes obstetricians, anesthetists, nurses, midwives and hospital support staff.
Golam Mostofa, Cox's Bazar Area Director for Save the Children, said:
"This hospital represents hope for mothers and babies in Cox's Bazar. Every mother deserves the chance to give birth safely, and every child deserves a healthy start in life. In Cox's Bazar, too many women face preventable risks during pregnancy and childbirth. This new hospital brings specialized care closer to those who need it most.
"We are working closely with the Government of Bangladesh and local partners to ensure that this hospital remains part of a wider commitment to strengthen the health system in Cox's Bazar for Rohingya refugees and for the host community to ensure quality care for women and babies.
With this hospital, we want to ensure that women can give birth safely, and that their children can survive and thrive."
Save the Children is calling on donors and the international community to continue investing in maternal and child health in Cox's Bazar, emphasizing that timely, quality care can mean the difference between life and death.
Save the Children is one of the leading international NGOs working in the Cox's Bazar camps in Bangladesh, providing child protection, access to learning, health and nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene services, and distribution of shelter and food items. We have reached more than 600,000 Rohingya refugees, including more than 320,000 children, since our response began in 2017.
