In Chad, 846 cases confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now been reported, and many rumours are circulating about how the virus is spread. In order to provide reliable information and answer questions from partners working on the project “Promoting Quality Basic Education in Chad”*, the Health team of Enfants du Monde provided distance training on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th of May, for 25 people from ProQeb office staff in Chad.

What are the experiences, impressions and perceptions of COVID-19 in the field?

Participants’ questions were answered in turn. Very quickly, the first questions focussed on the origin of this virus. The concern was palpable: partners expressed their fear of being infected and of doing something which endangered their health. The fear is always there, when moving around the country for example: how quickly does the virus spread, is this a genuine disease? How do people in rural areas with no soap or water manage to wash their hands?

The arrival of COVID-19 also raises questions about social cultural customs: what to do if you should not greet elders, when this is a mark of respect in Chad?

Recommendations from Enfants du Monde

Our health specialists discussed what COVI-19 is and how to slow down and prevent the spread of the disease. Explanations were given on wearing a mask: how to put it on, take it off and how to dispose of it. Enfants du Monde also made recommendations on what to do if someone is infected by COVID-19: how to protect oneself and others?

Participants had received videos and audio files beforehand by e-mail with information about COVID-19. They can then pass on this information to the people around them

*Mandate of the Swiss Cooperation co-financed by the French Development Agency.