Niger

Beginning in the 1990s, The Carter Center has worked with ministries of health to combat Guinea worm disease and trachoma in Niger.

Short-term Goals

We are working to prevent trachoma, a major public health problem in the country that can lead to blindness if left untreated.

Impact

In 2013, the World Health Organization certified that Niger had eliminated Guinea worm disease.
Using lessons learned from the Guinea Worm Eradication Program, the country has made significant progress in preventing trachoma, a devastating bacterial disease that can result in blindness.

Summary Proceedings: Stronger Together: Building Sustainable Trachoma Elimination Strategies

Program Review
Jul. 29, 2026

Characterizing Trachoma Elimination Using Serology

Article
Jul. 1, 2025

Effect of Biannual Mass Azithromycin Distributions to Preschool-Aged Children on Trachoma Prevalence in Niger

Article
Aug. 23, 2022

Active

Trachoma

Starting in 1998, The Carter Center has used lessons learned from the Guinea Worm Eradication Program to work with Niger and partner organizations to fight trachoma, a major public health problem in the country. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness.

Our Work and Methods

From 1999 through 2008, the Center focused on health and hygiene education and environmental sanitation activities. Household latrine building and promotion has been a cornerstone of the program.
In late 2008, the Niger Ministry of Health and the National Prevention of Blindness Program asked partner organizations to support a multipronged approach called the SAFE strategy:
- Surgery to reverse in-turned lashes caused by advanced trachoma, helping people at immediate risk of blindness
- Antibiotics to treat active infections and reduce transmission
- Facial cleanliness and improved hygiene to prevent the spreading of bacteria
- Environmental efforts to improve access to clean water and basic sanitation to reduce the fly population
With support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, we expanded our assistance to include corrective eyelid surgeries for those at risk of blindness.

Impacts

Local masons have built more than 195,600 household latrines.

The Center has helped provide more than 92,000 people with surgery for advanced trachoma.

The Center has helped distribute more than 3.7 million doses of azithromycin to treat active trachoma and more than 550,000 doses of tetracycline eye ointment.

The Center has helped train schoolteachers to educate their students about trachoma control and has supported the broadcast of more than 440,000 health education messages via radio.

Legacy

Guinea Worm

Current Status: Transmission stopped, October 2008
Certification of Dracunculiasis Elimination: 2013

Since 1986, the Carter Center’s Guinea Worm Eradication Program has led a worldwide coalition to wipe out this devastating disease. In 1993, when the Center began working in five of Niger’s six endemic regions, there were approximately 33,000 cases of Guinea worm disease in 1,700 villages.

Our Work and Methods

With the Ministry of Health, the Center implemented health education strategies aimed at changing behavior to prevent Guinea worm disease and mobilized communities to improve the safety of their local water sources.
We recruited and trained village volunteers to detect and report cases.
We collaborated with local medical facilities to ensure that worms were removed safely to avoid contaminating water sources.

Impacts

Niger reported its last three indigenous cases in October 2008, and after 13 consecutive months with zero indigenous cases, Niger was determined to have broken Guinea worm transmission. However, neighboring Mali exported three cases to Niger in 2012.
Portable water filters, along with health education efforts, helped reduce the risks posed by migrant populations.