| PROGRAMMES: | | | | CHAD | |
  CHAD Background
Chad has a population of 8,3 million (2002), is one of the poorest countries in Africa, and has suffered severely from 40 years of disruption and conflict including civil war and multiple military coups. Security across the country remains fragile today. |
| Two attempted coup d’etats were launched and failed in the first four months of 2006. Heavy fighting continued in some eastern border areas during the rainy season. As the rains ceased in mid October Chadian rebels renewed their offensive into western and central Chad. |
| The on-going history of conflict in Chad coupled with increasing conflict in Darfur and northern CAR continues to de-stabilise communities on all sides of the borders and threatens the stability of existing refugee communities within Chad. Conflict has resulted in large-scale local population displacement, especially around Goz Beida, a major refugee host area. |
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| The current overall case-load of refugees from Darfur-Sudan in eastern Chad is in excess of 200,000. Local coping mechanisms of host communities in the border regions through which the refugees transit have now been strained further with over 120,000 Chadian’s now internally displaced across the eastern border department Dar Sila (Goz Beida) as a result of the Darfur conflict expanding into eastern Chad. |
| In the south, Danamadji and Goré districts have become temporary homes to 42,474 refugees who have fled on-going internal conflict across northern Central African Republic. The conflict in CAR is unchecked and much of the north has been abandoned by officials leaving local populations to the mercy of opposing armed forces and bandits. No significant humanitarian support has yet been launched in CAR and victims continue to seek refuge in southern Chad. |
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The Crisis
The refugees, internally displaced, and host populations affected by these two converging complex emergencies are highly susceptible to disease and death. Malaria is one of the most important life threatening diseases faced by these groups living in the southern high malaria transmission area from Goz Beida to Goré. It is the first cause of morbidity and mortality amongst the refugees from CAR living in camps and host communities in Danamadji and Goré. |
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| Access to effective malaria prevention tools, diagnosis and case management in camp settings is variable and coverage and utilisation of these camp services are erratic. The host communities have generally poor access to local services. Where possible they use the services in refugee camps, thus increasing the burden on an already stretched temporary infrastructure. In these settings malaria remains the single greatest cause of suffering and death. |
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The MENTOR Initiative Response
Several NGOs have been providing essential primary health-care and non-medical support to some of the most vulnerable communities for the last two years. However, malaria has remained the number one challenge in these areas. The Government of Chad has supported the introduction of new and effective malaria control policies and in partnership with NGOs and support agencies has sanctioned the country-wide deployment of these efficacious tools in an effort to better combat and control malaria. |
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| The MENTOR Initiative are expanding large scale malaria control support with the MoH, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO and NGO partners from Goz Beida to Danamadji and expanding to Goré. Two specialist MENTOR malaria control teams, one in Goz beida and one in the south are reinforcing and significantly expanding coverage of effective malaria prevention, and provision of accurate malaria case management to victims in some of the most vulnerable host communities, camps, health centres and district hospitals. The teams are assisting partners through technical capacity building of their teams, large scale standardised supplies provision for malaria case management and prevention planning and implementation with ongoing funding support from USDS BPRM and USAID OFDA.
New support from UN Foundation and UNHCR for The MENTOR Initiative humanitarian action will ensure malaria protection for an additional 90,000 IDPs in the east and 30,000 CAR refugees and their host families in the south as part of the expanding support in response to the crisis. |
| The MENTOR Initiative will be expanding its support to refugees from CAR, camped in Goré, and their host communities over the coming months. |
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