by Hafizur Rahman
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh | May 2, 2026
A new maternal and newborn hospital began operations in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar on May 1, aiming to expand access to essential healthcare services for Rohingya women and infants.
The facility, established with support from international humanitarian organizations, is designed to provide services including antenatal care, safe childbirth, postnatal treatment, and specialized care for newborns. It also includes surgical units, emergency care services, and dedicated spaces for high-risk pregnancies.
Access to maternal healthcare has remained limited for Rohingya refugees living in the camps, where overcrowding, resource constraints, and referral delays have contributed to ongoing risks during pregnancy and childbirth. Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly identified maternal and neonatal health as a critical gap in the response.
Health workers involved in the facility say the hospital is expected to improve access to skilled birth attendance and reduce preventable deaths among mothers and newborns. The center will offer free services to Rohingya refugees and refer complicated cases to secondary and tertiary facilities when necessary.
More than 1.1 million Rohingya refugees remain in camps across Cox’s Bazar after fleeing violence in Myanmar. Aid organizations have long called for expanded healthcare infrastructure to address the needs of women and children in the camps.
The opening of the hospital adds to ongoing efforts to strengthen essential health services in the camps, though broader challenges related to capacity, access, and long-term sustainability remain.
