Eradicating Dracunculiasis: The Carter Center Moves Closer to Defeating Guinea Worm Disease
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Village volunteer Cezerina Puru Ladu treats her husband, Garbino Kenyi, a farmer from Terekeka County, South Sudan, who suffered from Guinea worm disease. In 2020, South Sudan reported a single human case*. (Photo: The Carter Center/ L. Gubb)
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of human Guinea worm cases was cut in half to just 27* in 2020.
The 27 human cases of Guinea worm disease across six African countries mark a 50% decline from the number of cases reported in 2019. Guinea worm infections in animals fell 20% in the same period. When The Carter Center established itself as a pioneer in neglected tropical disease elimination by assuming leadership of the global Guinea Worm Eradication Program in 1986, about 3.5 million human cases occurred annually in 21 countries in Africa and Asia.
Today, the program and partners continue to wipe out disease, steadily reducing the number of cases, stopping transmission, and ensuring optimal surveillance and reporting. Learn more about this global campaign and meet front-line health workers in the stories below.
Ethiopia has reduced the ancient affliction of Guinea worm disease to a small handful of human cases. Now the focus is on keeping dogs free of infection, and in at least one village, young people are leading the way.
Aggressive, science-based interventions in Chad have led to a significant decline in human cases and infections in dogs. See what’s working in one of the last places on Earth where this ancient curse still exists.
As the Center’s country representative for Chad, Dr. Hubert Zirimwabagabo leads a team of scientists and village volunteers battling Guinea worm, a disease of poverty, in one of its last strongholds.
From community engagement to water treatment and filtering to dog tethering, a cluster of villages in Ethiopia is applying creative strategies to fight Guinea worm disease, and their diligence is paying off.
View comparison chart of worldwide Guinea worm cases by month »
View comparison chart of worldwide Guinea worm cases by country »
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