Madagascar

How It Started

Madagascar is one of eight countries where we are helping to combat lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic infection that’s a leading cause of permanent and long-term disability worldwide.   

Our Work and Methods

In a partnership with Madagascar’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization in Madagascar, and the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, the Center is working to: 

• Develop a plan 

• Treat people with the triple drug therapy of Mectizan®, albendazole, and DEC (donated by Merck & Co. Inc., GSK, and Eisai, respectively) 

• Provide technical support 

• Launch a survey to measure the impact of mass drug administration on the population 

Impacts

In May 2025, the Center helped distribute medicines to treat more than 1.35 million people in six districts, bringing Madagascar one step closer to its goal of elimination.

Madagascar’s December 2013 elections offered an opportunity for one of the world’s poorest countries to emerge from five years of economic, social, and political stagnation that began with a 2009 coup d’état. 

The Carter Center partnered with the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) to deploy short-term observers to assess the legislative elections and the second round of the presidential elections, which were held the same day.  

These elections marked a turning point in Malagasy history, an important step toward democracy, and laid a foundation for renewed growth and development. 

More information about these elections is available in our publications section.