Senegal

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Senegal invited The Carter Center to help eliminate Guinea worm disease in 1992. By 1997, the country had detected its last indigenous case. Working together, Senegal and the Center successfully ended transmission within its borders, placing the nation at the forefront of the global movement to eradicate the disease.

Impact

  • Interrupted the transmission of Guinea worm disease in 1997
  • Certified free of Guinea worm by the World Health Organization in 2004
  • Trained village volunteers to ensure the long-term sustainability of gains made
Legacy

Guinea Worm Disease

Current Status: Transmission stopped, 1997
Certification of Dracunculiasis Elimination: 2004

In 1992, we began providing financial and technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in Senegal to stop Guinea worm disease in the country. 

Our Work and Methods

We used a variety of approaches to reach local communities, including:

  • Health education
  • Distribution of nylon filters to strain out water fleas that host Guinea worm larvae
  • Monthly treatment of stagnant ponds with larvicide
  • Direct advocacy with water organizations
  • Increased efforts to build safer hand-dug wells

Village volunteers – trained, equipped, and supervised by the program – carried out monthly surveillance and interventions.

Impacts

  • Senegal interrupted the transmission of Guinea worm disease in 1997, and the World Health Organization certified its elimination in 2004. 
  • Local volunteers were empowered to help ensure the long-term success of the program.

Explore Related

Guinea Worm Eradication(opens in new window)
Health(opens in new window)

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