CERF allocates $2.7 million for meningitis and measles outbreak in Chad

1 April 2010: CERF has allocated $2.7 million in response to meningitis and measles outbreak in Chad.

Close to $1.9 million will go to the World Health Organization (WHO) and $847,000 to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for meningitis vaccination campaigns for 627,000 individuals from 2 to 30 years of age and measles vaccination campaigns for 966,000 individuals from 6 months to 15 years of age.

In the recent past, Chad has faced recurrent annual outbreaks of meningitis and measles with increasing severity. In 2010, the country is yet facing another wave of meningococcal epidemic in the south and an outbreak of measles in the west, center and in N'djamena. Supplementary funding is needed to strengthen and complete the ongoing response to the epidemic in three districts (Doba, Goundi and Dono-Manga) and commence vaccinations in neighbouring districts (Koumra, Lai, Bere and Am Timan) for a total of 627,000 people.