Chad - Meningitis outbreak 2026

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Tandjilé-Est: a government mission to Dormon following a meningitis outbreak

Published on 27/03/2026 in Politics / Health / Chad
By the Editorial Staff

The Chadian government has dispatched an official mission to the Dormon canton, located in the sub-prefecture of rural Laï (Tandjilé province), in response to a meningitis epidemic that is causing great concern among the population.

Led by the Government Delegate General to the Tandjilé Province, Dr. Néné Ehémir Torna, the delegation arrived on site this Thursday. Upon their arrival, the members of the mission were welcomed by the Prefect of the Department, Ms. Djangbeye Dina Kerima, in the presence of administrative and health authorities, and representatives of the Tandjilé Provincial Council, including the Chair of the Health Commission.

According to test results released by health authorities, the deaths recorded in the area in recent weeks are linked to a meningitis outbreak. The provisional tally stands at 170 cases, including 22 deaths, a figure that has alarmed health services and local authorities.

This government mission has a dual objective: to demonstrate the State's solidarity with the affected populations and to officially inform the inhabitants about the nature of the disease in order to combat rumors and misinterpretations.

In his address to the public, Dr. Néné Ehémir Torna called for calm, peace, and tolerance, while emphasizing the urgent need for prompt medical attention in case of symptoms. He urged residents to go immediately to the nearest health centers and hospitals, reminding them that meningitis is a serious illness but one that can be effectively treated if caught early.

The general delegate also warned against resorting to occult beliefs and quackery, stressing that only modern medicine provides an effective response to this epidemic.

Through this field visit, the authorities intend to raise public awareness, reassure communities, and intensify health response efforts to contain the spread of the disease. The mobilization of health services and administrative authorities remains essential to controlling this situation and preventing a worsening of the situation in the coming days.

Koumgue-Gueyeng Dono Emmanuel, correspondent in Tandjilé

https://tchadinfos.com/2026/03/27/t...dormon-a-la-suite-dune-epidemie-de-meningite/

 

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Chad: MSF warns of a double epidemic of measles and meningitis in the east of the country

Press release

April 24, 2026

As thousands of people fleeing the war in Sudan seek refuge in eastern Chad, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams are facing a dual outbreak of measles and meningitis C, despite large-scale emergency vaccination campaigns. Since January 2026, more than 1,500 patients have been admitted to MSF isolation units, in coordination with the Ministry of Health.

In Adré , a border town with Sudan, the situation is rapidly deteriorating: cases of meningitis have jumped from 18 in January to 212 between March and April. Among the patients treated, 25 children have died, representing a case fatality rate of nearly 12%. Meanwhile, measles is spreading sharply, from 16 cases in January to 371 in March, with 161 cases already recorded in the first two weeks of April. Faced with the influx of patients, MSF has tripled its pediatric isolation capacity for measles (from 5 to 15 beds) and set up a 30-bed tent for meningitis treatment.

“ Every day, we treat children with severe forms of measles, often complicated by pneumonia requiring urgent hospitalization. At the same time, the beds dedicated to meningitis are almost all occupied, which limits the treatment of other pathologies ,” explains Isabelle Kavira, head of MSF medical activities in Adré.

In response to these epidemics , the Ministry of Health , with the support of MSF, conducted several emergency vaccination campaigns :

In Adré , more than 95,500 children were vaccinated against measles and 337,800 people against meningitis;
In the Aboutengué camp , 62,500 people were vaccinated against meningitis in April;
In Metché , more than 26,000 people have received a measles and meningitis vaccine since mid-April;
In the province of Sila , more than 113,000 children were also vaccinated in 15 days to contain a measles epidemic.

Despite these efforts, the situation remains critical: without sustained reinforcement of routine immunization, nearly one in ten children with meningitis in Adré is at risk of dying . Response campaigns are insufficient. MSF is warning of the urgent need to strengthen routine immunization at the primary healthcare level, particularly by deploying mobile teams from health centers to surrounding areas.

The crisis is exacerbated by the continued arrival of families fleeing the war in Sudan , where measles and meningitis outbreaks are ongoing. By April 2026, nearly 926,000 people were registered in the east of the country, further straining already fragile health services . In overcrowded refugee camps, where access to water, healthcare, and sufficient food remains limited, diseases spread more rapidly and severe cases are on the rise, particularly among children under five.

https://www.msf.fr/communiques-pres...e-rougeole-et-de-meningite-dans-l-est-du-pays