A family planning investment case for Chad: Evidence, costs, and pathways to sustainable financing

Chad faces some of the world's highest fertility and maternal mortality rates, alongside persistently low contraceptive use, especially among adolescents. To address these challenges, the Government of Chad and the UNFPA developed a family planning investment case to assess financing gaps and model the health and economic impacts of scaling up services. Using demographic projections, costing tools, and cost-benefit analyses across multiple contraceptive uptake scenarios, the study finds that expanded family planning could avert approximately 186,000 maternal deaths, prevent 23 million cases of stunting, and generate up to CFA 100 trillion (USD 180 billion) in health savings and productivity gains by 2050. Each dollar invested is projected to return more than 300 dollars, reflecting exceptional economic value. In contrast, inaction would lead to massive health losses and long-term economic costs amounting to as much as 25% of GDP. Family planning therefore emerges as both a public health imperative and a strategic investment for sustainable development in Chad.