Guinea Worm’s Near-eradication Shows What’s Possible for Tropical Diseases

Opinion: The world has gone from 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm among people to just 10 cases in 40 years. This is a reason for celebration and for caution, not to give up on reaching full eradication.

I’ve got good news for humankind: The world is on the brink of eradicating Guinea worm disease, which would make it the second human disease ever eradicated after smallpox.

Now for the not-so-good news: The progress toward eradication is fragile, and all the hard-won gains could be lost without sustained commitment from the global community.

As we commemorate World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day today, the near-eradication of Guinea worm disease is a powerful example of what country-led, global health collaboration can achieve.

Read the full op-ed.