# Sudanese refugees in Chad: addressing overwhelming mental health needs through sustainable partnerships

## TL;DR

Sudanese refugees in Chad face severe mental health challenges, and sustainable partnerships are needed to address these issues effectively.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the need for innovative partnerships to improve mental health care for refugees and host communities in Chad.

## Key findings

- Sudanese refugees in Chad experience high levels of psychological distress due to conflict and displacement.
- Chad's mental health services are under-resourced and fragmented, complicating care delivery.
- Locally grounded and culturally relevant interventions are essential for effective mental health support.

## Abstract

Since 2023, the armed conflict in Sudan has displaced nearly 900 000 people into eastern Chad, adding to pre-existing refugee populations and placing immense strain on already fragile health and social systems. Sudanese refugees experience high levels of psychological distress, yet Chad’s mental health services remain rudimentary, characterised by severe shortages of trained professionals and fragmented service provision. Despite underfunding, humanitarian agencies have explicitly prioritised mental health within their response framework, integrating mental health support into primary care and community-led initiatives. Cultural idioms of distress, stigma and language barriers continue to complicate care delivery, while simultaneously underscoring the importance of locally grounded approaches. Sustainable progress will require closer integration between humanitarian and development efforts, the strengthening of national systems and the expansion of community capacity. Innovative partnerships such as the Greentree Acceleration Plan offer pathways for scalable, culturally relevant interventions that may ultimately strengthen mental health systems for both refugees and host populations in Chad.