Description of the situation
12 March 1996
Disease Outbreak Reported
Outbreaks of cerebrospinal meningitis have been declared in three different Prefectures. As at 11 March information had been received on 244 cases with 19 deaths in the health districts of Kumra, Dobba and Abeche in the Prefectures of Moyen-Chari, Logone Oriental and Ouaddai. Information had not yet been received from the capital N'Djamena and other prefectures. A technical committee was established on 5 March to coordinate control activities and an international appeal for support to the national control efforts. The committee include representatives from the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, the Red Cross, the European Union, MSF, and other non-governmental organizations. Vaccine and equipment were available in the country from an emergency stock provided by WHO in 1995 which with additional support from MSF and the EuropeanUnion have permitted control activities to start in Kumra, Dobba and Abeche.