After over two years of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, refugees, that have now exceeded the 860.000 mark, are still crossing into Chad.

This situation has been causing significant stress on natural resources, including on access to clean water, in Chad, a country already on the frontlines of the climate crisis, such as flooding and drought.

Since April 2023, MSF teams working in eastern Chad have been under pressure to provide clean water to respond to the enormous and ever-growing needs.

Water needs are rapidly rising in eastern Chad, where many Sudanese refugees live in camps built from scratch. Most still receive far below the recommended 20 liters of clean water per day and lack adequate sanitation, increasing the risk of diseases such as diarrhea, skin infections, cholera, and typhoid.

The approaching rainy season, marked by heavy rains and widespread flooding, risks worsening already dire conditions—intensifying the spread of waterborne diseases, disrupting essential services, and hindering access to health facilities. Clean water shortages may force people to use unsafe sources, heightening the danger of epidemics.

Poor infrastructure, hygiene, and water scarcity also heighten tensions between refugees and host communities.

Women and children bear the brunt—spending hours queuing under the sun and carrying heavy loads. In some cases, refugees resort to negative coping strategies, like selling food vouchers to purchase water.