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Chad: The dengue epidemic continues to spread and highlights the weaknesses of the health system
While five Chadian provinces are now officially affected by the disease which has already caused eight deaths out of more than 3000 suspected cases recorded, it also reveals the weakness of the number of intensive care beds available in the country as well as the problems of supplying its laboratories with screening kits.
Published on:20/10/2026 - 05:06
By : RFI
With our correspondent in Ndjamena, Nadia Ben Mahfoudh
The dengue epidemic affecting Chad continues to progress. While five provinces of the country are now officially affected by the disease, which comes on top of the seasonal malaria outbreak, it has already caused eight deaths out of more than 3,000 suspected cases recorded, including 2,472 in the Wadi Fira province alone, according to the report provided by Dicia Fitouin, coordinator of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center.
But these figures are alarming because they also reveal how fragile the Chadian healthcare system remains in the face of health crises. While the symptoms of dengue fever in its early stages resemble those of malaria, which is also surging at the end of the rainy season—generalized body aches, lethargy, extreme fatigue, fever, and intense headaches—many patients treat themselves. “ People go directly to pharmacies, which dispense antimalarial drugs ,” explains Dr. Bargo, an emergency physician and Secretary General of the Association for the Development of Private Healthcare in Chad.
As a result, patients only arrive at the hospital at the stage of complications – when the liver, kidneys or heart finally fail, particularly due to acute dehydration – which poses a problem in a country that " lacks intensive care beds ," continues Dr. Bargo, who says that Chad has fewer than a hundred...
But the epidemic also reveals the supply problems facing laboratories with testing kits, which are becoming increasingly scarce. " The stock is dwindling ," acknowledges Dr. Dicia Fitouin, who urges people to consult a doctor early and avoid anti-inflammatory drugs and stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. Provided the population follows the guidelines, " it's not inevitable ," he assures, noting that Chad already overcame a similar epidemic in 2023.
www.rfi.fr
Chad: The dengue epidemic continues to spread and highlights the weaknesses of the health system
While five Chadian provinces are now officially affected by the disease which has already caused eight deaths out of more than 3000 suspected cases recorded, it also reveals the weakness of the number of intensive care beds available in the country as well as the problems of supplying its laboratories with screening kits.
Published on:20/10/2026 - 05:06
By : RFI
With our correspondent in Ndjamena, Nadia Ben Mahfoudh
The dengue epidemic affecting Chad continues to progress. While five provinces of the country are now officially affected by the disease, which comes on top of the seasonal malaria outbreak, it has already caused eight deaths out of more than 3,000 suspected cases recorded, including 2,472 in the Wadi Fira province alone, according to the report provided by Dicia Fitouin, coordinator of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center.
But these figures are alarming because they also reveal how fragile the Chadian healthcare system remains in the face of health crises. While the symptoms of dengue fever in its early stages resemble those of malaria, which is also surging at the end of the rainy season—generalized body aches, lethargy, extreme fatigue, fever, and intense headaches—many patients treat themselves. “ People go directly to pharmacies, which dispense antimalarial drugs ,” explains Dr. Bargo, an emergency physician and Secretary General of the Association for the Development of Private Healthcare in Chad.
As a result, patients only arrive at the hospital at the stage of complications – when the liver, kidneys or heart finally fail, particularly due to acute dehydration – which poses a problem in a country that " lacks intensive care beds ," continues Dr. Bargo, who says that Chad has fewer than a hundred...
But the epidemic also reveals the supply problems facing laboratories with testing kits, which are becoming increasingly scarce. " The stock is dwindling ," acknowledges Dr. Dicia Fitouin, who urges people to consult a doctor early and avoid anti-inflammatory drugs and stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. Provided the population follows the guidelines, " it's not inevitable ," he assures, noting that Chad already overcame a similar epidemic in 2023.
Tchad: l'épidémie de dengue continue de progresser et met en lumière les fragilités du système de santé
Alors que cinq provinces tchadiennes sont désormais officiellement touchées par la maladie qui a déjà fait huit morts pour plus de 3000 cas suspects recensés, celle-ci révèle aussi la faiblesse du nombre…
www.rfi.fr