Chad

Africa
Capital:
N'Djamena
Currency:
Central African CFA franc (XAF)
Risk:
Very High
Language
French (official); Arabic (official); Sara; Maba; numerous ethnic languages
Malaria risk
High
Tap water
⚠️ Not Safe
Healthcare
Very Poor — severely limited even in N'Djamena
Kit recommendation
Expedition Clinical Leader Kit
📋

Health Overview

Chad is Level 4 — Do Not Travel countrywide (advisory raised April 28 2026; health indicator added). Crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines, and inadequate health infrastructure. Boko Haram/ISIS-WA in Lake Chad basin; armed groups on all six borders; unmapped minefields (Libya/Sudan); Sudan conflict spillover. Malaria endemic. CHU La Renaissance (N'Djamena) has new WHO oxygen plant Jan 2025.
⚕

Key Health Risks

High
Terrorism and Armed Conflict
Boko Haram/ISIS-WA in Lake Chad basin. Armed groups on all six borders. Unmapped minefields (Libya/Sudan). Hostage-taking documented. US personnel require special authorization outside N'Djamena.
Moderate-High
Crime
Armed robbery; carjacking; kidnapping; rape; homicide throughout including N'Djamena. Police response limited/slow. Common roadblocks — carry ID; comply calmly.
High
Healthcare System
Severely limited even in N'Djamena. CHU La Renaissance (240 beds; 16 OR; CT; hemodialysis; new WHO oxygen plant Jan 2025) is best in country. Outside N'Djamena: essentially absent. Medevac to Yaoundé (~1.5 hours) or Addis Ababa (~3.5 hours).
⛑️

Health Risk Callout

All six borders Level 4 — country surrounded by active conflict on every side. Oil sector and humanitarian operations continue with serious medical planning. CHU La Renaissance is genuinely better than regional neighbors — French-built; new WHO oxygen plant.
🏥

Other Health Risks

Meningococcal (belt; Dec-June); Cholera (Lake Chad basin); Schistosomiasis; Hep E; HIV/AIDS; onchocerciasis (SE near CAR); Sudan conflict displaced population health risks; extreme heat (Sahara north); Harmattan dust; landmine risk (Libya/Sudan borders)
🗺

Regional Information

Regional Risk Callout
N'Djamena: only functional zone. Lake Chad (west): Boko Haram/ISIS-WA (Level 4). Libya border (north): armed groups; unmapped mines (Level 4). Sudan border (east): conflict spillover (Level 4). CAR border (south): rebel groups (Level 4). Niger/Nigeria borders: jihadist spillover (Level 4). All six borders Level 4.
Regional Healthcare Callout
Outside N'Djamena: absent. All six border Level 4 zones: no healthcare. Roadblocks/security complicate access between towns.
💉

Vaccine and Malaria Prevention

💉 Entry Vaccine Required
YF required from endemic countries; CDC recommends all ≥9 months. Visa required. Carry vaccination card at all times. Declare all currency on entry.
🛡️ Recommended Vaccines
CDC recommends YF; MenACWY+B (meningitis belt; epidemic Dec-June); Typhoid; Hep A; Hep B; Rabies PrEP; Polio booster (CDC Level 2); Malaria prophylaxis; routine (MMR; Tdap)
🦟 Malaria Information
  • Risk Level: High
  • Areas: Country-wide; year-round; peak rainy season Jun-Sep
  • Recommended Drug: Atovaquone-proguanil; Doxycycline; Mefloquine; Tafenoquine
  • Drug Resistance: Yes

P. falciparum endemic; chloroquine-resistant. Peak Jun-Sep. Healthcare outside N'Djamena minimal. Carry standby Coartem.

Moderate-High
👨

Physician Note

R
Dr. Robert
Emergency Medicine · 25+ Years · 40+ Countries

I do not recommend travel here currently. Chad went to Level 4 — Do Not Travel, countrywide — in April 2026, with inadequate health infrastructure now named alongside crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and landmines as a reason. That last addition is the honest one: this is a country of roughly 18 million where CHU La Renaissance in N'Djamena — 240 beds, 16 operating rooms, CT, a WHO-funded oxygen plant added in 2025 — is genuinely the best facility for a very long way, and beyond the capital organized medical care essentially does not exist. Every border is conflict-affected, and the minefields along the Libyan and Sudanese frontiers are unmapped.

For the humanitarian and oil-sector personnel who go anyway under organizational security: the medical planning is maximal. Yellow fever certificate, meningococcal ACWY during the December-to-June belt season, typhoid, hepatitis A and B, rabies pre-exposure, a polio booster, and year-round falciparum prophylaxis with standby treatment carried, because the nearest reliable care may be Yaoundé — ninety minutes by air from N'Djamena — or Addis Ababa. Evacuation insurance is not a recommendation here; it is the actual plan.

✅

Pre-Departure Checklist

8+ Weeks

  • Be sure to consult your Dr. prior to travel to discuss
  • CDC recommends Full vaccines (YF; MenACWY+B; Typhoid; Hep A/B; Rabies PrEP; Polio booster)
  • Malaria prophylaxis + standby Coartem
  • Medevac insurance with Chad coverage.

2-4 Weeks

  • STEP
  • Personal medical kit
  • Security briefing
  • Will/POA
  • Landmine awareness for northern/eastern borders.

Day Of

  • Emergency services 2121 or 121 — these reach both police and ambulance (State Dept)
  • State Dept lists no separate fire number for Chad
  • Ambulance services are not widely available and response times may be poor — private transport to the nearest major hospital may be faster (State Dept)
  • Embassy +235 6885 1065; after-hours emergency +235 63 51 78 00
  • Know evacuation route from N'Djamena.
✈️

Trip Type Guidance

Mission/humanitarian: significant UN/NGO operations (Sudan displacement; Lake Chad crisis; CAR refugees).

Business

  • International oil sector (ExxonMobil; Glencore; Chinese firms) with dedicated security.
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Notes

Special Evacuation Notes
Medevac from N'Djamena (NDJ) to Yaoundé (~1.5 hours); Addis Ababa (~3.5 hours); or Paris (Air France direct ~7 hours). US gov't employees require special authorization outside capital.
Safety Notes
All six border zones Level 4 — do not approach. Lake Chad: Boko Haram. N'Djamena: no night travel; avoid demonstrations; carry ID at checkpoints. Minefields: never leave designated roads near northern/eastern borders. Oil sector/humanitarian: follow organizational security protocols.
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Good For
Mission
Business
Quick Info
  • Capital
    N'Djamena
  • Language
    French (official); Arabic (official); Sara; Maba; numerous ethnic languages
  • Currency
    Central African CFA franc (XAF)
  • State Dept Level
    4
  • Crime Risk
    High
  • Disaster Risk
    Moderate-High — Sudan conflict spillover; Lake Chad humanitarian crisis; extreme heat; Harmattan; minefields Libya/Sudan borders
Water Safety
⛔️ Tap Water Not Safe to Drink
Tap water NOT safe anywhere. Bottled or treated only. Cholera risk in Lake Chad area. Carry ORS.
Top Hospital
CHU La Renaissance
N'Djamena
Chad's premier facility. 240 beds; 48000 m²; 16 OR; CT; hemodialysis; ICU; cardiology; lab. French-built (SFEH) 2013; university hospital 2019. New WHO/Global Fund oxygen plant Jan 2025 (60 cylinders/day). Also: HGRN. Medevac to Yaoundé (~1.5 hours) or Addis Ababa (~3.5 hours). Direct Air France service.
Emergency Numbers
2121 (emergency services); 121 (emergency services)
Emergency
2121 (emergency medical services); 121 (emergency medical services). Ambulance services are not widely available. Training and response time of emergency responders may be poor (State Dept)
Ambulance
US Embassy
+235 6885 1065 (embassy main); +235 63 51 78 00 (after-hours emergency); +1-301-985-8702 (US relay); NdjamenaACS@state.gov
https://td.usembassy.gov/
Resources
Primary Sources
Direct lines to the agencies that publish the world's most trusted travel-health guidance.
CDC Travelers' HealthState Dept Travel AdvisoryCDC Health NoticesCDC Yellow BookWHO Travel HealthSTEP Enrollment