Chad launches its vaccination campaign against Covid-19

Audio 01:20

The Covid-19 vaccination campaign was launched in Chad on June 4, 2021. Here, at the Renaissance hospital.

© Aurélie Bazzara-Kibangula / RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

Chad launched its vaccination campaign against Covid-19 on June 4 in N'Djamena, the capital, but also in the cities of Moundou and Abéché, after receiving 200,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, a donation from China.

Since March 19, 2020, Chad has recorded 4,938 positive Covid-19 cases, including 174 deaths.

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With our correspondent in Ndjamena,

Aurélie Bazzara-Kibangula

In June, Chad is expected to step up its campaign, as part of the Covax program.

In the meantime, 50,000 Chadians can already be vaccinated at seven vaccination sites.

In this Ndjari hospital where we are, the waiting room is crowded.

The nurse Hassan vaccinates against the Covid-19 chain ... " 

Are you okay

?"

Doesn't it hurt

?

It's finish. 

», He reassures before specifying:

«

These are the empty bottles and we are already at more than 100, since 8:30 am

 ».

Surprise

For him, it is a surprise to see so many people coming to be vaccinated.

“Few Chadians believe in the existence of Covid-19,” he says, but his stock of vaccine doses is running out quickly.

“ 

We receive the doses daily to respect the cold chain.

There, this morning, for example, I had to unload 200 doses and 200 syringes

”.

 People over 65, medical staff or candidates for the Hajj pilgrimage have priority.

I'm afraid to catch it

 "

In the waiting room, there are those who feel obliged to be vaccinated: “I did not feel anything, the bite is quickly done.

I came from Ati by bus - it's over 400 kilometers away - to get the vaccine.

Without a vaccine, I know that I will not be able to go to Hajj because it is compulsory ”.

And there are those who want to protect themselves: “ 

If I come here, it's just because I'm afraid of catching it.

A month ago, my wife almost died and it was in this hospital that she was saved.

When I was told that there was the vaccine, I came

”.

 All will have to come back in two weeks for the injection of a second dose.

Read also: Covid-19: in Chad, in Ndjamena confined, between fatalism and discontent

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  • Chad

  • Coronavirus