Our©-cassoni: In eastern Chad, near the border with Sudan, more than 117,000 refugees reside in the Our©-Cassoni camp. As new families continue to arrive after fleeing the war in Sudan, needs are escalating while humanitarian funding is dwindling. In this remote camp, the effects of reduced aid are being felt directly in people's daily lives. M©decins Sans Fronti¨res (MSF) calls for Our©-Cassoni to be among the priorities of the humanitarian response in Chad.

According to African Press Organization, Sadia, a refugee who arrived in Our©-Cassoni with her family after fleeing violence in Sudan, now works as a health promoter with MSF. She emphasizes the uncertainty faced by the refugees daily. Located in a remote region of Ennedi-Est, in north-eastern Chad, the camp's isolation makes access to services and aid delivery challenging. Since the war in Sudan began in April 2023, the camp has seen several waves of arrivals, yet resources for the humanitarian response have not increased accordingly.

For families in Our©-Cassoni, food insufficiency is a harsh reality, making it difficult to provide for their children. Salwa, a mother in the camp, shares the struggles of not knowing what to feed her children each day. MSF teams have observed an increase in malnutrition among children, with severe acute malnutrition rising from 2.2% to 3.4% between 2025 and 2026, and moderate acute malnutrition increasing from 10% to 13%.

Water scarcity is another urgent issue, with only about two liters available per person per day, far below the recommended emergency level of 15 to 20 liters. This scarcity has led to health concerns, with over 14% of consultations in July concerning cases of non-bloody diarrhea. MSF stresses that adequate humanitarian funding is crucial to maintaining essential services like clean water provision.

Shelter remains a significant concern, as many families improvise homes with limited protection. This contributes to health issues, such as respiratory infections, which account for over 30% of MSF consultations. The camp's single health center lacks specialist care, and only critical cases are supported financially at other facilities.

The dire conditions and lack of assistance also increase risks for women and girls, who face dangers when leaving the camp for resources like water and firewood. MSF provided care to 91 victims and survivors of sexual violence between January and July 2026.

Despite the growing needs, Our©-Cassoni was not included in the priority areas of the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Chad. MSF warns that the current situation is unsustainable without an urgent increase in assistance. The disparity between the needs of the refugees and the available resources continues to widen, manifesting in insufficient food, inadequate water, precarious shelters, and inaccessible healthcare.

For MSF, the urgent and substantial needs in Our©-Cassoni justify prioritizing the camp in Chad's humanitarian response efforts.