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Creation of a national addiction network in Chad

  • 2024 Winner

Mutual Health Aid 92

Context

Chad has limited mental health and addiction services, with only two nurses and one doctor per 10,000 inhabitants. The country currently has only one addiction specialist, working at CEDIRAA in N'Djamena, the country's sole addiction treatment center for the past 20 years. The consumption of alcohol (beer, millet alcohol, adulterated alcohol) and psychotropic substances such as tramadol is increasing, affecting more and more women and young people, with significant health and social consequences: alcohol-related domestic violence, widespread lack of awareness of fetal alcohol syndrome, and difficulties in social integration for those with addictions. Outside of N'Djamena, healthcare facilities still lack staff trained to identify and support individuals with addictive behaviors.

In response to this situation, CEDIRAA and the Chadian Ministry of Health approached the association Entraide Santé 92, which has been working in Chad for 15 years, to co-develop a project that aligns with a government objective: to create a national network of addiction specialists. The project leverages CEDIRAA's recognized expertise and initially aims to train 29 healthcare professionals from N'Djamena and nine other cities in the country, followed by a year of monitoring and supervision.

  • In partnership with: Diocesan Research and Action Centre for Alcoholism and Other Addictions (CEDIRAA)

Project objectives

  • Strengthening the prevention and treatment of addictions to psychoactive substances in Chad, for the benefit of public health and the fight against violence against women
  • To structure a national network for addiction treatment, based on 12 reference healthcare facilities supervised by the CEDIRAA center
  • To train healthcare professionals to identify, assess and support individuals with addictive behaviors, and to monitor their skills development over one year.

Activities

  • 5 days of training with theoretical courses and group practical workshops, covering general knowledge of addiction, knowledge of psychoactive substances, medical care and therapeutic approaches, pregnancy and psychoactive substances, and finally the creation of a "patient" file«
  • Participants are monitored through weekly phone calls and semi-annual visits by a trainer to each organization where the participants are located.
  • Creation of an exchange and working group in order to create a network of addiction specialists across the country

Direct beneficiaries

  • 20 health workers stationed in referral medical facilities in the areas of Sarh, Doba, Moundou, Pala, Bere, Fianga, Bongor, Torrock, Mongo and Abéché
  • 9 health workers from Ndjamena, from the national reference hospital, CEDIRAA and another center

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Through its Microprojects division, the La Guilde association, in partnership with the French Development Agency, supports the implementation of microprojects in the service of sustainable development internationally.