Dr. Fatima Oumar

Dr. Fatima Oumar is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Hôpital Général de Référence Nationale (HGRN), Chad's principal public referral hospital in N'Djamena and the country's foremost medical institution. Over 14 years, Dr. Oumar has dedicated her career to maternal health in one of sub-Saharan Africa's most challenging healthcare environments — Chad has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, driven by profound shortages of specialist care, limited antenatal coverage, high fertility rates, and the health impacts of chronic poverty and periodic conflict.

As one of a small number of trained obstetrician-gynaecologists in N'Djamena, Dr. Oumar carries an enormous clinical responsibility. She manages a high volume of obstetric emergencies daily — including obstructed labour, severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage — cases that have often been transferred long distances from rural health centres after prolonged delays. Her clinical skills in managing these emergencies in a resource-limited hospital environment are exceptional.

Dr. Oumar has also been engaged in the management of obstetric fistula, which remains a significant condition in Chad given the high rate of obstructed labour among young women with early marriage and limited access to emergency obstetric care. She conducts initial fistula assessments and coordinates with UNFPA-supported fistula repair programmes active in N'Djamena.

Dr. Oumar completed her Doctorat en Médecine at the Faculté des Sciences de la Santé of the Université de N'Djamena. She undertook her obstetrics and gynaecology residency at the Hôpital Général de Référence Nationale, earning her Diplôme de Spécialité en Gynécologie-Obstétrique through Chad's national specialist training programme. She completed an advanced training fellowship in emergency obstetric care at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Yaoundé in Cameroon, gaining additional experience in high-risk obstetrics and operative gynaecology. She has completed UNFPA and WHO-supported training in emergency obstetric care (EmOC) protocols and fistula initial assessment.

Dr. Oumar provides comprehensive obstetric and gynaecological care at Chad's principal referral hospital. She manages high-risk pregnancies including those complicated by severe anaemia, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and malpresentation. She performs caesarean sections, forceps and vacuum-assisted deliveries, and manages life-threatening obstetric emergencies including postpartum haemorrhage using both medical (oxytocin, misoprostol, tranexamic acid) and surgical interventions (B-Lynch suture, hysterectomy as last resort). She performs manual vacuum aspiration, curettage, and evaluates and initially manages obstetric fistula cases for referral to specialist repair programmes. She provides routine gynaecological consultations and manages pelvic inflammatory disease and gynaecological infections.

Dr. Oumar has contributed to maternal death audit processes at the HGRN in collaboration with WHO and UNFPA, working to identify and address preventable causes of maternal mortality in Chad. She has participated in UNFPA-sponsored data collection on obstetric fistula prevalence and prevention in the N'Djamena region. Her clinical experience has been shared at national health conferences in N'Djamena and at sub-regional obstetrics meetings, contributing practical insights on managing obstetric emergencies in severely resource-limited hospital settings.

Dr. Oumar consults in French and Arabic, making her accessible to N'Djamena's bilingual population and to international patients from the Arab world, including those from Sudan, Libya, and the Gulf states who may visit Chad. International humanitarian workers, UN staff, and NGO personnel based in N'Djamena who require obstetric or gynaecological care have access to her services at the HGRN. Diaspora patients from Chad resident in France or Belgium can also access her services during visits to N'Djamena. The HGRN is the main referral hospital in Chad and the highest level of public care available in the country.

Dr. Oumar is recognised within Chad's medical community and by international health partner organisations for her commitment to maternal health in N'Djamena's most demanding clinical environment. She is a member of the Conseil National de l'Ordre des Médecins du Tchad and has been acknowledged by UNFPA for her contributions to obstetric fistula assessment and maternal death audit programmes in Chad. Her service represents an exceptional dedication to women's health in one of the world's most challenging healthcare contexts.