Health initiatives focus on hygiene training in Ituri and civil service integration in Chad

In the Tchomia health zone of Ituri, 66 students from three primary schools have completed training in water, hygiene, and sanitation promotion. Organized by Tearfund with financial support from UNICEF, the initiative aims to turn students into hygiene ambassadors within their schools and local communities. Each school has established a brigade of 22 student leaders, supervised by teachers and parents, to promote handwashing, school cleanliness, and the hygienic use of latrines to prevent waterborne diseases.

In Chad, a collective of graduates from public health schools, including the National School of Sanitary and Social Agents (ENASS) and provincial schools in Moundou, Abéché, Sarh, and Biltine, is demanding integration into the civil service. Following a presidential announcement regarding the recruitment of 500 paramedical staff and the integration of 226 contract workers, the graduates are seeking similar inclusion. The collective notes that many health centers and district hospitals are currently understaffed, which negatively impacts the quality of care available to rural populations.