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Chad Refugee Camps Face Deadly Meningitis Surge
23 Apr
Summary
- Deadly meningitis is surging among children in eastern Chad's refugee camps.
- Nearly 12% of child meningitis cases in the affected area have been fatal.
- Measles is also spreading due to overcrowding in camps for Sudanese refugees.
Deadly meningitis is currently surging in eastern Chad, particularly impacting children in areas housing hundreds of thousands of war refugees from Sudan. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported that nearly 12% of children admitted with meningitis between March and April died, a shocking fatality rate. The overcrowded camps in Adre have also seen a spread of measles.
MSF medical facilities are experiencing near 100% bed occupancy due to meningitis cases, severely impacting their capacity to care for other conditions. Many children are arriving with severe measles, often complicated by pneumonia. As of the report, over 1.3 million Sudanese refugees are in Chad, most having arrived since the conflict began in April 2023.
In response to the escalating health crisis, Chad's health ministry and MSF have administered emergency vaccinations. More than 95,500 children have received measles vaccinations, and 337,800 people have been vaccinated against meningitis in the most affected regions.
