Chad faces food security and health challenges, but opportunity exists for improvement, U.N. official says

Sep 17 2011

U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Chad Thomas Gurtner "says Chad faces daunting food security and health challenges" but that "peace and growing stability in Chad bodes well for the country's future," VOA News reports. He cited high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition among children, "insufficient rainfall" that likely will "limit agricultural production," rising food prices, the "worst cholera epidemic in years," and the return home of more than 80,000 Chadian migrants who were working in Libya and sending money home to their families, the news service notes. 

Despite these challenges, Gurtner "says he sees encouraging political changes in the country and believes they offer opportunities for improving conditions for the population," VOA writes. "'[W]ith at least stability and peace having returned over the last two years, there is a clear will within the country to move forward. There is oil revenue, which is being in part now invested in infrastructure and provision of better health and social services,' Gurtner said," according to the news service (Schlein, 9/15).