Source: APO – Report:
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In the nomadic settlement of Mandjafa, on the outskirts of N’Djamena, Afia travelled with her four-month-old daughter, Fatma, to benefit from services provided during an integrated outreach activity for nomadic communities. For this mother of five, these interventions play an essential role in protecting her family’s health.
“Vaccines help keep my children healthy. As soon as they become ill, I take them to the health centre,” she said.
Like many nomadic families in Chad, Afia lives in a pastoral community where livestock are central to household livelihoods. Seasonal mobility and the distance from health facilities can make access to essential services challenging. Nomadic populations account for approximately 3.5% of the country’s population.
To address this reality, the government has progressively implemented the One Health approach, which brings together the health, livestock, environmental and agricultural sectors to deliver services tailored to pastoral communities.
In Mandjafa, on 9 June 2026, this approach enabled integrated services to be provided to 134 beneficiaries, including 11 children. The intervention combined human and animal vaccination, with 96 animals vaccinated, alongside other preventive and health services. Community members also received vitamin A supplementation, deworming treatment and insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
According to Dr Mahamat Béchir, National One Health Coordinator at the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention and Permanent Secretary of the platform, the approach emerged from evidence that nomadic communities were not being adequately reached through conventional services.
“Studies conducted in the early 2000s showed that access to vaccination was very limited in some nomadic communities. We realized that our strategies needed to be adapted to their way of life,” he explained.
Teams also observed that livestock keepers were already making regular use of veterinary services. By combining animal health interventions with services for women and children, it became possible to reach more families during a single campaign while reducing the number of journeys required.
In Mandjafa, the approach benefits both families and their livestock. Among the beneficiaries is Youssouf Idriss, a livestock keeper living near the site and owner of sheep, cattle and camels. “My animals are essential to my family’s life. They provide us with food and income. Their health is therefore a priority for us,” he said.
For pastoral households, animal health has a direct impact on income, nutrition and well-being. Joint campaigns therefore address multiple essential needs through a single intervention while improving access to preventive services. On the ground, this collaboration is reflected in outreach activities conducted in nomadic settlements.
Raphaël Neni, a veterinary officer at the Ministry of Livestock who has worked in the field for five years, regularly supports campaigns targeting nomadic communities. “Since we strengthened vaccination activities, some diseases have become less common. Livestock keepers themselves can see the improvement in the health of their animals,” he said.
Beyond the benefits for livestock, these interventions also help reduce the risk of diseases transmitted between animals and humans, strengthening health security within communities.
At the national level, the One Health platform coordinates actions across the health, livestock, environmental and agricultural sectors to strengthen prevention, surveillance and response to health threats. “Health challenges can no longer be addressed by a single sector. Zoonotic diseases, climate change and environmental issues require close collaboration to better protect populations,” explained Dr Béchir.
World Health Organization (WHO) has supported the government’s efforts for several years. This support includes strengthening the One Health platform, conducting International Health Regulations assessments, supporting implementation of the National Action Plan for Health Security and building the capacity of key stakeholders.
For Dr Tamadji Mbaïhol, who leads routine immunization activities at WHO in Chad, these communities are well known. For nearly 20 years, he has supported health activities among nomadic populations and has observed their willingness to use services when they are adapted to their way of life. “Nomadic populations are receptive to health services. The challenge is reaching them where they are. When interventions are adapted to their reality, participation is strong,” he said.
The ability to bring together multiple services during a single outreach activity is one of the key strengths of the One Health approach, particularly in areas where communities move regularly. Over the years, implementation of the approach has relied on collaboration between different ministries and several technical and financial partners.
“WHO support has contributed to strengthening the One Health platform and consolidating collaboration across the sectors involved. This momentum now allows us to move forward together on shared public health priorities,” said Dr Béchir.
While the teams continued their work with other families and livestock keepers, Afia prepared to return home with Fatma. Like many parents present that day, she was able to access several services through a single visit. The advice she wishes to share with other parents is simple:
“When a child is sick, they should be taken to a health centre quickly. This helps protect them and keep them healthy,” she said.
In Mandjafa, the One Health approach is bringing essential services closer to nomadic communities. By facilitating access to integrated services, it is helping to protect both human and animal health while supporting the livelihoods on which these communities depend.
– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Chad.
