[2]
Chad is an incredibly poor country in the heart of Africa that doesn't have the ability to properly respond to disease outbreaks and emergencies. Chad is rated at the world’s seventh poorest country by the United Nation’s Human Development Index [22]. This is not conducive to any sort of proper health care. Many villages are incredibly rural, with little to no access to electricity [25]. The measles and polio vaccines need to be kept at a temperature between 36 and 46 degrees, so a series of stations called “cold chain” (a system in which vaccines are kept at a controlled temperature from beginning to end of the trip to the villages and to displaced persons camps) is necessary, especially when temperatures can often exceed 104 degrees. Chad is divided into three regions, the Saharan region in the north (which is incredibly dry and sparsely populated), the Sahelian portion towards the middle (open savannah grasslands), and the Soudanian area in the south (a more wooded area with better rainfall than the rest) [25].
Along with poor living conditions and a stagnant economy, Chad has over 280,000 refugees, not including over 170,000 internally displaced people. This is an added financial stress on an already impoverished country, so vaccination may seem like a low priority to Chadians. But, with less than 64% of the population vaccinated against a disease like measles (and less than 25% with access to regular vaccinations, as opposed to the United States with a 95% rate), survivors can become carriers and their smaller communities can become hotbeds for disease, spreading rapidly when they do come into contact with other unvaccinated people [27].
MEASLES
Measles is one of the leading causes of death among children (aged 5 and under) in Chad [22]. This disease and the complications associated with it can be extremely deadly and common amongst young children. In the most vulnerable populations (such as those whom suffer of malnutrition and a lack of adequate health care access), as many as 10 out of every 100 people die. Vaccines can easily prevent this disease. [25]
In 2012, The Ministry of Health in Chad (in conjunction with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Measles Initiative and more), began a mission to immunize all children between ages 6 months and 3 years old against measles. This campaign was the largest of its kind in Chad, covering over thirteen districts of the country. Since then, the authorities have planned to run additional measles vaccination campaigns in 2014, targeting over 4 million children under 9 years old (this represents 37% of the Chadian population). [16]
Along with poor living conditions and a stagnant economy, Chad has over 280,000 refugees, not including over 170,000 internally displaced people. This is an added financial stress on an already impoverished country, so vaccination may seem like a low priority to Chadians. But, with less than 64% of the population vaccinated against a disease like measles (and less than 25% with access to regular vaccinations, as opposed to the United States with a 95% rate), survivors can become carriers and their smaller communities can become hotbeds for disease, spreading rapidly when they do come into contact with other unvaccinated people [27].
MEASLES
Measles is one of the leading causes of death among children (aged 5 and under) in Chad [22]. This disease and the complications associated with it can be extremely deadly and common amongst young children. In the most vulnerable populations (such as those whom suffer of malnutrition and a lack of adequate health care access), as many as 10 out of every 100 people die. Vaccines can easily prevent this disease. [25]
In 2012, The Ministry of Health in Chad (in conjunction with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Measles Initiative and more), began a mission to immunize all children between ages 6 months and 3 years old against measles. This campaign was the largest of its kind in Chad, covering over thirteen districts of the country. Since then, the authorities have planned to run additional measles vaccination campaigns in 2014, targeting over 4 million children under 9 years old (this represents 37% of the Chadian population). [16]
Politics
The Republic of Chad is made up of the following three branches of government: legislative, judicial, and executive. Chad has a Chief of State President (Lt Gen Idriss DEBY Itno). Also, there is a prime minister as the head of the civil government. This would be the group we would have to contact and communicate with to gain access to the country and to ensure the legality of our presence. However, when trying to actually get to the point where we can vaccinate people, the separate tribes or communities would need to be addressed. [17]
Each community has a tribal leader in areas that the government cannot reach or has a low involvement, which would likely be the areas we would be focused on. The tribal leaders are in charge of disciplinary actions and decision-making for the community, and this is called customary law. Its role in the remote communities is educating the leaders of the tribes or communities. [19]
As far as to what our group is attempting to do, it could possibly be easier to talk with the mothers of the children to vaccinate their children. This shows that the individual is allowed some power and control, but there are many other channels to go through to get to that point.
CULTURE
Chad is filled with a diversity of cultures and ways of life, as can be seen by the sheer amount of languages and dialects that can be seen (over 120). Many people live in rural environments, with just a small percent above the poverty level.
Polygamy is common, with 39% of women living that way. This is sanctioned by law, automatically permitting polygamy unless spouses specify that this is unacceptable upon marriage. The 1993 census found that 54% of Chadians were Muslim, 20% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant, 10% animist and 3% atheist. [25]
The vast majority of Muslims in the country are adherents of a moderate branch of mystical Islam (Sufism), incorporating some local African religious elements. Christian faiths were introduced after independence in 1960 and therefore are considered to be "new" religions in the country. [1]
Polygamy is common, with 39% of women living that way. This is sanctioned by law, automatically permitting polygamy unless spouses specify that this is unacceptable upon marriage. The 1993 census found that 54% of Chadians were Muslim, 20% Roman Catholic, 14% Protestant, 10% animist and 3% atheist. [25]
The vast majority of Muslims in the country are adherents of a moderate branch of mystical Islam (Sufism), incorporating some local African religious elements. Christian faiths were introduced after independence in 1960 and therefore are considered to be "new" religions in the country. [1]