Cholera Outbreak in Eastern Chad Refugee Sites Poses Urgent Humanitarian Crisis

A deadly cholera outbreak has struck refugee settlements in eastern Chad, where tens of thousands of Sudanese arrivals from war-torn Darfur are living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. The crisis has sparked urgent warnings from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) over the risk of a major health disaster without immediate international intervention.

As of early August, 264 cholera cases and 12 deaths have been reported in the Dougui refugee settlement and surrounding villages. Additional suspected cases have emerged in Treguine settlement, also hosting Sudanese refugees.

Border sites – where a third of new arrivals settle – face particularly high transmission risk. In Adre, the largest spontaneous settlement with over 235,000 people, three suspected cholera cases are under investigation, raising fears of wider spread.

Across the border in Darfur, the situation is even more dire, with over 4,300 cases and 113 deaths already reported.

Overcrowding, Poor Sanitation Driving Spread

UNHCR officials warn that overcrowding, lack of clean water, and limited sanitation facilities in refugee-hosting areas are accelerating the outbreak. Seasonal rains are compounding the crisis by contaminating water sources and cutting off road access to remote sites for months.

In Darfur, many displaced people shelter in “gathering sites” such as abandoned public buildings, with little or no access to clean water or latrines. Brutal attacks and ongoing displacement in Darfur and the neighbouring Kordofan region have left communities already devastated by years of violence facing unspeakable atrocities and famine conditions.

Emergency Measures in Chad

In response, UNHCR has suspended the relocation of refugees from border areas to Dougui to contain the spread of cholera. The agency and its partners have stepped up health and hygiene measures, including:

• Setting up handwashing stations.

• Distributing soap and disinfecting latrines.

• Delivering medical supplies and protective equipment to health facilities.

• Training health workers to detect and track cases.

• Conducting public awareness campaigns on prevention and early treatment.

Despite these measures, funding shortfalls are hampering the response.

Urgent Appeal for $130 Million

UNHCR is appealing for $130 million in flexible funding to:

• Provide life-saving aid to 800,000 people in Darfur.

• Contain the cholera outbreak in Chad.

• Relocate 239,000 Sudanese refugees from border zones to safer areas.

• Address critical gaps in water, sanitation, shelter, and health services.

In Chad, decongesting spontaneous sites is a top priority. UNHCR plans to transport 2,000 refugees daily to settlements with essential services, while scaling up healthcare, safe drinking water access, sanitation, and shelter provision.

Scale of the Crisis

Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, the Darfur region has seen over 5 million displaced people, including 1.5 million uprooted before the current conflict. Chad now hosts over 873,000 Sudanese refugees, the largest number since the conflict began, with one in three people in eastern Chad now a refugee.

The UN warns that without swift action, the cholera outbreak could spiral into a wider public health catastrophe, threatening both refugee and host communities already stretched to their limits.