Chad: “Prevention is the Important Issue”

In December 2011, Doctors Without Borders nurse Marja Scholten coordinated a vaccination campaign in the African country of Chad. Along with a team of 300 people, she ensured that nearly 110,000 people were vaccinated against meningitis.

Meningitis, which causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain, is responsible for many deaths every year. The disease is particularly prevalent in the so-called “meningitis belt,” an area in sub-Saharan Africa that includes Chad. This year we were working with the new vaccine MenAfriVac, which provides protection for far longer than other vaccines: ten years as opposed to the two or three years offered by other vaccines.

This was the first time we were involved in a preventative campaign—normally we start to vaccinate once a disease has already broken out, but with meningitis A prevention is the important issue. Training was planned involving all the heads of the health centers in the area.

Photo: Chad 2012 © Marja Scholten
An MSF staff member uses the new MenAfriVac vaccine to vaccinate a young girl against mengingitis A.