Chad is facing a crisis with an influx of Sudanese and Chadians fleeing Darfur, which has led to over 750,000 refugees seeking refuge in the country. The situation has put a strain on the country’s resources and health systems.
Currently, these refugees are living in camps across various districts in Ennedi East, Ouaddaï, Sila, and Wadi Fira. However, access to essential healthcare services is challenging due to physical barriers, limited resources, and financial constraints preventing them from accessing necessary medical care. To make matters worse, outbreaks of dengue fever, measles, and hepatitis E have already resulted in 6,692 injuries so far.
Several organizations including MSF-F, PUI, the ICRC and a WHO emergency team have been providing support and treatment to those affected by the crisis. However, with renewed fighting in Sudan threatening to increase the number of refugees arriving in Chad daily and the upcoming rainy season posing a significant health risk in less than three months – there is still much work to be done. The WHO may face challenges accessing certain sites during this time to provide coordinated health responses that could potentially prevent further public health crises from arising.
