Medical facilities in Chad are limited, so it's important to stay healthy while traveling to avoid risking the need for medical help.
Photo © Getty Images/Franz Aberham
Medical facilities in Chad
Medical facilities in Chad are poor.
Hospitals in N'Djamena are sometimes affected by strikes by Government workers. You need to keep in mind the possibility that medical services, stretched at the best of times, may be even less responsive than usual.
However, there are three well-stocked expatriate clinics that will serve travelers on an emergency basis in N'Djamena. They are expensive and bills must be paid in cash and submitted to health insurance companies for reimbursement by the patient. French and Swiss doctors staff the SOS International Clinic, the Clinique Medico Chirugicale and Europ Assistance.
Access to medication in Chad
Medicines are in short supply or unavailable. You should carry properly labeled medications with you, including a copy of the original prescription to indicate why you have a particular medication.
Diseases in Chad
Malaria and water-borne diseases are common, and the country experiences Cholera outbreaks often. A Cholera outbreak in 2011 led to more than 1,500 reported cases and 30 deaths.
Meningitis outbreaks can occur throughout Chad, and are especially common in the south of the country, which lies within the African meningitis belt stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Since the mid-1990s, meningitis has occurred on an unprecedented scale in this region.
Tap water and food safety
Do not drink the water. You should drink only boiled (for at least three minutes) or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. Most likely food purchased from local street vendors does not meet adequate hygiene standards.
If you suffer from diarrhea during a visit to Chad, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Vaccinations for Chad
You will be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival in the country. You should also consider the following vaccinations before traveling:
- Hepatitis A and B
- Typhoid
- Meningococcus
- Rabies
- Influenza
- Malaria
- Make sure your booster shots for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) and Tetanus-Diptheria are up to date.
The threat of violent crime, kidnapping and robbery is very real as are the threats to your health by meningitis, malaria, cholera and yellow fever. Chad simply is not a safe place to go, and you should seriously re-consider your need to travel there.
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