Cases of deadly meningitis are surging in eastern Chad, killing nearly 12% of children who catch it in an area housing hundreds of thousands of war refugees from neighbouring Sudan, Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Thursday.
Escalating Fatality Rates in Adre
Measles is also spreading in the border town of Adre, where an increase in arrivals in recent weeks has left camps overcrowded, making it easier for diseases to spread, the medical aid group said in a statement.
Out of 212 children admitted to MSF facilities with meningitis from March to April, 25 had died, “a shocking case fatality rate,” MSF added.
“Every day, we see children arriving with severe measles, often complicated by pneumonia, requiring urgent hospitalization,” Isabelle Kavira, MSF medical activity manager in Adre, said.
“At the same time, bed occupancy for meningitis is close to 100%, saturating our capacity and compromising care for other conditions.”
Health Infrastructure Under Strain in Adre
More than 1.3-million Sudanese refugees are living in neighbouring Chad, according to United Nations figures, including survivors of mass killings and famine in Darfur.
Most arrived since the start of the conflict in Sudan between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
Emergency Vaccination Response
Chad’s health ministry and MSF staff have given emergency vaccinations to more than
95 500 children against measles and to 337 800 people against meningitis in the most affected areas, the charity said.
- Deadly meningitis cases are surging in eastern Chad, killing nearly 12% of infected children, amid overcrowded refugee camps housing hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees.
- Measles outbreaks are increasing in the border town of Adre, exacerbated by camp overcrowding and poor conditions.
- MSF facilities reported a 25-death toll out of 212 meningitis cases in children from March to April, indicating a high fatality rate.
- Hospital beds for meningitis cases are nearly fully occupied, limiting capacity to treat other illnesses, while severe measles cases often lead to pneumonia needing urgent care.
- Emergency vaccination campaigns have immunized over 95,500 children against measles and 337,800 people against meningitis in the most affected areas of Chad.
Cases of deadly meningitis are surging in eastern Chad, killing nearly 12% of children who catch it in an area housing hundreds of thousands of war refugees from neighbouring Sudan, Medecins Sans Frontieres said on
Measles is also spreading in the border town of Adre, where an increase in arrivals in recent weeks has left camps overcrowded, making it easier for diseases to spread, the medical aid group said in a statement.
Out of 212 children admitted to MSF facilities with meningitis from March to April, 25 had died, "a shocking case fatality rate," MSF added.
"Every day, we see children arriving with severe measles, often complicated by pneumonia, requiring urgent hospitalization," Isabelle Kavira, MSF medical activity manager in Adre, said.
"At the same time, bed occupancy for meningitis is close to 100%, saturating our capacity and compromising care for other conditions."
More than 1.3-million Sudanese refugees are living in neighbouring Chad, according to United Nations figures, including survivors of mass killings and famine in Darfur.
Most arrived since the start of the conflict in Sudan between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
Chad's health ministry and MSF staff have given emergency vaccinations to more than
95 500 children against measles and to 337 800 people against meningitis in the most affected areas, the charity said.
