Central African Republic

With our support, the Central African Republic stopped Guinea worm disease transmission in 2001. In 2007, the World Health Organization certified the country as free of the disease.

Impact

Provided endemic communities with supplies and larvicide to prevent transmission
Supported a CDC consultant working in the country
Helped stop transmission in 2001

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Legacy

Guinea Worm Disease

The Central African Republic reported zero human cases of Guinea worm disease in 2025.

Current Status: Transmission stopped, 2001
Certification of Dracunculiasis Elimination: 2007

When the national Guinea worm elimination program began in the Central African Republic, it was unclear whether the disease was endemic or imported to the country. Specialists then determined it was probably endemic, so we set out to assist in preventing transmission of the disease.

Our Work and Methods

To assist the country in preventing transmission, we:

Provided endemic communities with cloth water filters to strain out copepods
Applied ABATE® larvicide, donated by BASF, to stagnant water sources
Supported a Guinea worm elimination consultant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Impacts
With our support, the Central African Republic stopped Guinea worm disease transmission in 2001, and in 2007, the World Health Organization certified the country as free of the disease. The country was honored for its achievement in stopping disease transmission at a special ceremony at The Carter Center in 2006.

View Global Human Guinea Worm Cases and Animal Infections

The latest information about Guinea worm disease can be found in our news section.