Midwives at Malakal Teaching Hospital have appealed for additional midwives, saying they are overwhelmed by the growing numbers of expectant mothers daily.

There are only three midwives at the state health facility.

But according to Peter Laat Machar, a registered midwife, they receive more than 10 pregnant women who need immediate medical assistance.

“We handle more than five mothers in labor, apart from antenatal care consultations which can reach up to 30 patients per day,” Machar told Eye Radio in Malakal town on Wednesday.

This, he said, makes it difficult for them to offer the required medical assistance timely and effectively.

“We are just three in number; we cannot handle antenatal care and delivering mothers,” Machar added.

South Sudan infant mortality rates are among the highest in the world, according to the UN.

Most deaths are attributed to lack of qualified midwives in the country.