Refugee crisis fuels measles and meningitis outbreaks in eastern Chad

A dual outbreak of measles and meningitis is sweeping eastern Chad, driven by the continued influx of refugees fleeing Sudan's civil war, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned Thursday, as overcrowded camps and limited healthcare accelerate transmission.

In Adre, a town close to the Sudanese border, measles cases surged from 16 in January to 371 in March, with 161 recorded in the first two weeks of April.

Meningitis cases rose from 18 in January to 109 in March and 101 by mid-April.

"Every day, we see children arriving with severe measles, often complicated by pneumonia, requiring urgent hospitalisation," said MSF's Isabelle Kavira.

Bed occupancy for meningitis is nearing 100%, saturating capacity.

Refugee flow and overcrowding

Since the Sudan war erupted in April 2023, nearly one million people have fled to Chad, according to the United Nations.

Chad closed its border with Sudan in February following incursions from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but the border remains porous.

MSF said the continued arrival of refugee families from Sudan — where measles and meningitis outbreaks are ongoing — is fueling the surge.

Overcrowding, limited water and healthcare access, and malnutrition heighten risks, especially for children under five.

Vaccination efforts fall Short

Chad's health ministry, with MSF support, has vaccinated over 95,500 children against measles and 337,800 people against meningitis in emergency campaigns.

However, disruptions in vaccine refrigeration and gaps in routine immunisation "leave entire populations exposed," MSF warned, adding that reactive campaigns alone are insufficient.