Area: 1,284,000 km² 

Population: 6,346,000 inhabitants (April 1993 census) 

Capital: N'Djamena 

Currency: CFA Ffranc 

Official Language: French 

Bordering Countries: Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sudan 

Out of 192 countries Chad ranks 174 th for life expectancy, 178th for infant mortality, 185th for GNP, 172nd for daily calorie intake, 163rd for literacy, 161st for the percentage of children in full-time education (source: Atlas Encyclopédique Mondial, Nathan Ed., Paris 1996, pp.562-563). Concerning its climate, the country can be divided into three large bands: desert in the North, Sahelian in the centre and Sudanese in the South.

The three geo-climatic zones in Chad 

(I. Donan-Gouni, comm. pers.)

Statistics on rainfall are provided by the N'Djamena airport from 1972-1993 (table). 

Average rainfall (in mm) recorded in N'Djamena from 1972 to 1993

(source: http://www.multimania.com/volontariat/bases/ndjpluv.htm)

Chad can be divided into three zones concerning the epidemiology of malaria: 

There is no malaria in the north 

The Sahelian Zone corresponds to an intermediary sahelian malaria, according to Mouchet et al’s classification: transmission is seasonally short (inferior to 6 months),with 2 to 20 infectious bites per person per year. During the transmission season, nearly 70% of fevers are malaria induced. Relative immunity takes a long time to achieve, explaining the number of cases of pernicious malaria in adults. 

The Sudanese Zone corresponds to a tropical stable malaria: transmission is seasonally long (6 to 8 months) with 100 to 400 infectious bites per person per year. Relative immunity occurs late, around the age of 10. Morbidity increases with the rainy season (the cause of about 80% of childhood fevers)(J. Mouchet et Coll., Santé 1993 ; 3: 220-238).

There exists a National Anti Malaria Action Program in Chad . It is directed by Dr Issa Donan-Gouni who works full time and is assisted by 9 people. His contact information is: Programme National de Lutte Antipaludique, Ministère de la Santé Publique, BP 750, N'Djaména, Tchad. (Tel.: 00 235 52 29 41). 

The achievements of the program (I. Donan-ouni, comm. pers.): 

Training in the handling of cases; 

Supervision of Anti-Malaria action ; 

Operational Research ; 

Monitoring the epidemiology; 

Treating of mosquito nets ; 

I.E.C. ; 

Training in the technique of treating mosquito nets.

In 1997, Chad was selected by the World Health Organisation for its « accelerated anti malaria action plan ». This concerned 518,158 inhabitants of 24 of the country’s 48 districts (10). The results have not yet been published

According to the B.E.H. n°24-25 of 14th june 2005 Chad is classified under in Chemoresistance group II , that is to say that there are zones where there is moderate chloroquine resistance. A prophylaxis with the Chloroquine-Proguanil or Atovaquone-Proguanil combination is recommended. 

In fact, this chemoprophylaxis sees only necessary from May to September in the regions that suffer from malaria. It seems sensible to bear in mind the conditions of the trip: Humid season Vs dry ? Staying in towns or in the countryside ? Staying at a hotel or in a traditional dwelling? etc. More often than not simple measures of precaution against mosquito bites are largely sufficient

(only the first author is mentioned) 

1. MERLIN M. et Coll. - Étude épidémiologique du paludisme, en saison sèche, dans la ville de N'Djaména (République du Tchad). Bull. liais. doc. OCEAC 1987 ; n°79: 9-18.

2. DOUMDE et Coll. - Évaluation des pratiques et des coûts de lutte antivectorielle à l'échelon familial en Afrique Centrale. VI. Ville de Bongor (Mayo-Kebbi, Tchad). Bull. liais. doc. OCEAC 1990 ; n°94: 35.

3. DESFONTAINE M. - Chimiorésistance de Plasmodium  falciparum aux amino-4-quinoléines en Afrique Centrale. Nouvelles perspectives de lutte. Bull. liais. doc. OCEAC 1990 ; n°spécial: 1-64.

4. SHEPARD D.S. et Coll. - The economic cost of malaria in Africa. Trop. Med. Parasitol. 1991 ; 42: 199-203.

5. TRAORE O. et Coll. - Évaluation in vivo de la chimiosensibilité de Plasmodium  falciparum à la chloroquine dans la région de Moundou. Bull. liais. doc. OCEAC 1992 ; n°101: 26-27.

6. ALI FADEL A.M.Z. - Déclaration de la politique nationale du Tchad de lutte contre le paludisme. Bull. liais. doc. OCEAC 1994 ; 27: 130-132.

7. DONAN-GOUNI I. et Coll. - Enquêtes C.A.P. paludisme dans un quartier périphérique de N'Djaména et dans un village des environs. Bull. liais. doc. OCEAC 1994 ; 27: 133-134.

8. RENAUDIN P. et Coll. - L'anémie de l'enfant de moins de un an à Moundou, Tchad: prévalence et étiologies. Med. Trop. 1994 ; 54: 337-342.

9. RENAUDIN P. et Coll. - Évaluation in vivo de la chimiosensibilité de Plasmodium  falciparum à la chloroquine à Moundou (Tchad). Med. Trop. 1995 ; 55: 286.

10. KASSANKOGNO Y. - Aperçu sur le programme de lutte contre le paludisme africain pour la période 1996-1997. Malaria and Infectious Diseases in Africa 1999 ; n°9bis: 52-61.

11. RICHARD V. et Coll. - Tchad: résultats mitigés d'une stratégie fixe. Med. Trop. 1999 ; 59: 333-338.

12. STENGER S. - Comportements et attitudes pratiques des expatriés vis-à-vis du paludisme dans six pays d'Afrique. Mémoire D.U. médecine et santé publique tropicales, Université Aix-Marseille, 2000, 30 pages.