Tag: GUINEA

  • What to know about Jimmy Carter’s mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease

    What to know about Jimmy Carter’s mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease


    JARWENG, South Sudan (AP) — Nobel Prize-winning peacemaker Jimmy Carter spent nearly four decades waging war to eliminate an ancient parasite plaguing the world’s poorest people.

    Rarely fatal but searingly painful and debilitating, Guinea worm disease infects people who drink water tainted with larvae that grow inside the body into worms as much as 3-feet-long. The noodle-thin parasites then burrow their way out, breaking through the skin in burning blisters.

    Carter made eradicating Guinea worm a top mission of The Carter Center, the nonprofit he and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, founded after leaving the White House. The former president rallied public health experts, billionaire donors, African heads of state and thousands of volunteer villagers to work toward eliminating a human disease for only the second time in history.

    “It’d be the most exciting and gratifying accomplishment of my life,” Carter told The Associated Press in 2016. Even after entering home hospice care in February 2023, aides said Carter kept asking for Guinea worm updates.

    Carter died Sunday at age 100.

    Thanks to the Carters’ efforts, the worms that afflicted an estimated 3.5 million people in 20 African and Asian countries when the center launched its campaign in 1986 are on the brink of extinction. Only 14 human cases were reported across four African nations in 2023, according to The Carter Center.

    The World Health Organization’s target for eradication is 2030. Carter Center leaders hope to achieve it sooner.

    That meant recently returning to Jarweng, in a remote area of South Sudan in northeastern Africa. The village of 500 people hadn’t seen Guinea worm infections since 2014, until Nyingong Aguek and her two sons drank swampy water while traveling in 2022. A fourth person also got infected.

    “Having the worm pulled out is more painful than giving birth,” said Aguek, pointing to scars where four worms emerged from her left leg.

    The center’s staff and volunteers walked house-to-house distributing water filters and teaching people to inspect dogs, which can also carry the parasite.

    “If someone’s hurt, The Carter Center will help,” said villager Mathew Manyiel, listening to a training session while checking his dog for symptoms.

    An audacious plan

    In the mid-1980s, global health agencies were otherwise occupied and heads of state largely overlooked the illness afflicting millions of their citizens. Carter was still defining the center’s mission when public health experts who had served in his administration approached him with a plan to eliminate the disease.

    Only a few years had passed since the WHO declared in 1979 that smallpox was the first human disease to be eradicated worldwide. Guinea worm, the experts told Carter, could become the second.

    “President Carter, with a political background, was able to do far more in global health than we could do alone,” said Dr. William Foege, who led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s smallpox eradication program and the CDC itself before becoming The Carter Center’s first executive director.

    Those who worked closely with Carter suspect Guinea worm’s toll on poor African farmers resonated with the former president, who lived as a boy in a Georgia farmhouse without electricity or running water.

    “Nobody was doing anything about it, and it was such a spectacularly awful disease,” said Dr. Donald Hopkins, an architect of the campaign who led the center’s health programs until 2015. “He could sympathize with all of these farmers being too crippled from Guinea worm disease to work.”

    Eliminating other diseases

    There’s no vaccine that prevents Guinea worm infections or medicine that gets rid of the parasites. Treatment has changed little since ancient Greece. Emerging worms are gently wound around a stick as they’re slowly pulled through the skin. Removing an entire worm without breaking it can take weeks.

    So instead of scientific breakthroughs, this campaign has relied on persuading millions of people to change basic behaviors.

    Workers from the center and host governments trained volunteers to teach neighbors to filter water through cloth screens, removing tiny fleas that carry the larvae. Villagers learned to watch for and report new cases — often for rewards of $100 or more. Infected people and dogs had to be prevented from tainting water sources.

    The goal was to break the worm’s life cycle — and therefore eliminate the parasite itself — in each endemic community, eventually exterminating Guinea worm altogether.

    The campaign became a model for confronting a broader range of neglected tropical diseases afflicting impoverished people with limited access to clean water, sanitation and health care. Expanding its public health mission, the center has supplied training, equipment and medicines that helped 22 countries eliminate at least one disease within their borders.

    Mali became the latest in May 2023 when the WHO confirmed it had ended trachoma, a blinding eye infection. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are working to eliminate malaria and mosquito-borne lymphatic filariasis by 2030. Countries in Africa and the Americas are pursuing an end to river blindness by 2035.

    A personal mission

    Having a former U.S. president lead the charge brought big advantages to a nonprofit that relied on private donors to fund its initiatives.

    Carter’s fundraising enabled the center to pour $500 million into fighting Guinea worm. He persuaded manufacturers to donate larvicide as well as nylon cloth and specially made drinking straws to filter water. His visits to afflicted villages often attracted news coverage, raising awareness globally.

    “He went to so many of the localities where people were afflicted,” said Dr. William Brieger, a professor of international health at Johns Hopkins University who spent 25 years in Africa. “The kind of attention that was drawn to him for getting on the ground and highlighting the plight of individual people who were suffering, I think that made an important difference.”

    Carter first saw the disease up close in 1988 while visiting a village in Ghana where nearly 350 people had worms poking through their skin. He approached a young woman who appeared to be cradling a baby in her arm.

    “But there was no baby,” Carter wrote in his 2014 book “A Call to Action.” “Instead she was holding her right breast, which was almost a foot long and had a worm emerging from the nipple.”

    Carter used his status to sway other leaders to play larger roles. Some heads of state got competitive, spurred by the center’s charts and newsletters that showed which countries were making progress and which lagged behind.

    Worms in a war zone

    In 1995, Carter intervened when a civil war in southern Sudan made it too dangerous for workers to reach hundreds of hotspots. The ceasefire he negotiated enabled the center and others to distribute 200,000 water filters and discover more endemic villages.

    Carter’s efforts not only stopped transmissions in much of what became South Sudan, but also built trust across communities that resulted in a “significant peace dividend,” said Makoy Samuel Yibi, the young nation’s Guinea worm eradication director.

    Pakistan in 1993 became the first endemic country to eliminate human cases. India soon followed. By 1997, the disease was no longer found in Asia. By 2003, cases reported worldwide were down to 32,000 — a 99% decline in less than two decades.

    Some setbacks frustrated Carter. Visiting a hospital packed with suffering children and adults amid a 2007 resurgence in Ghana, Carter suggested publicly that the disease should perhaps be renamed “Ghana worm.”

    “Ghana was deeply embarrassed,” Hopkins said.

    Ghana ended transmission within three more years. Even more inspiring: Nigeria, which once had the most cases in the world, reached zero infections in 2009.

    “That was a thunderclap,” Hopkins said. “It was important throughout Africa, throughout the global campaign.”

    To the last worm

    Even after being diagnosed with brain cancer, Carter remained focused: “I’d like the last Guinea worm to die before I do,” he told reporters in 2015.

    Despite dwindling cases, total success has proven elusive.

    Historic flooding and years of civil war have displaced millions of people who lack clean drinking water across central Africa. Of the 13 total cases reported in 2023, nine occurred in Chad, where infections in dogs have made the worms harder to eliminate.

    “These are the most challenging places on planet Earth to operate in,” said Adam Weiss, who has directed the campaign since 2018. “You need eyes and ears on the ground every single day.”

    The campaign still relies on about 30,000 volunteers spread among roughly 9,000 villages. Staying vigilant can be difficult now that cases are so rare, Weiss said.

    “I would still like to think we will beat the timeline,” Weiss said of the 2030 eradication goal. “The Carter Center is committed to this, obviously, no matter what.”

    ___

    This story has been updated to show there were 14 human Guinea worm cases reported across four African nations in 2023, according to The Carter Center.

    —-

    Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.





    Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States, has dedicated much of his post-presidency to eradicating Guinea worm disease. This debilitating parasitic infection, caused by the Guinea worm, affects some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Africa.

    Here are some key things to know about Jimmy Carter’s mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease:

    1. The Carter Center: Founded by Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in 1982, The Carter Center has been at the forefront of the fight against Guinea worm disease. The organization works with local partners, governments, and health workers to prevent the spread of the disease and provide treatment to those affected.

    2. Progress made: Since the Carter Center began its Guinea worm eradication efforts in 1986, the number of reported cases has dramatically decreased from 3.5 million to just 27 cases in 2020. This progress is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all those involved in the eradication campaign.

    3. Challenges faced: Despite significant progress, eradicating Guinea worm disease remains a challenge. The disease is primarily transmitted through contaminated water sources, making prevention efforts crucial. Additionally, reaching remote and conflict-affected communities can be difficult, but The Carter Center continues to work tirelessly to overcome these obstacles.

    4. Role of community health workers: Community health workers play a vital role in the eradication of Guinea worm disease. They educate communities on the importance of clean water and hygiene practices, conduct surveillance to detect cases, and provide treatment to those affected. Their efforts are essential in achieving the goal of eradicating the disease.

    5. Global impact: The eradication of Guinea worm disease not only improves the health and well-being of affected communities but also has broader global implications. By eliminating this neglected tropical disease, we are one step closer to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and creating a healthier, more equitable world for all.

    In conclusion, Jimmy Carter’s mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease is a shining example of the power of dedication, collaboration, and perseverance in the fight against infectious diseases. With continued support and efforts, we can hope to soon see the end of Guinea worm disease once and for all.

    Tags:

    • Jimmy Carter
    • Guinea worm disease
    • Eradication
    • Public health
    • Carter Center
    • Global health
    • Disease prevention
    • Disease eradication
    • Guinea worm eradication
    • Jimmy Carter’s mission
    • Global health initiatives
    • Health advocacy
    • Public health campaigns
    • Guinea worm infection
    • Jimmy Carter’s legacy

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  • Jimmy Carter wanted to see Guinea worm eliminated. He came close.

    Jimmy Carter wanted to see Guinea worm eliminated. He came close.


    The Summary

    • Former President Jimmy Carter worked for decades to eradicate Guinea worm disease around the world.
    • Whereas 3.5 million cases of the painful parasitic infection were recorded in 1986, preliminary data indicates there were just 11 this year.
    • Carter died Sunday at age 100.

    Former President Jimmy Carter hoped to outlive the Guinea worm — and he came achingly close to achieving that goal. 

    Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, and his nonprofit, the Carter Center, led a decades-long campaign against the disease, marshalling funding, tracking cases, helping to quell outbreaks and organizing support among world leaders and health agencies. 

    Guinea worm infections are caused by a parasitic worm whose larvae can contaminate water. When people consume the tainted water, the larvae mature inside the body, growing to about 3 feet long. The worms then burrow out of people’s bodies, blistering the skin as they exit in an agonizingly painful process that can take weeks.

    In 1986, five years after Carter’s presidency ended, 3.5 million cases of the disease were recorded globally. As of early December, preliminary data indicates that just 11 cases have been recorded this year, and in just two countries — Chad and South Sudan, according to Adam Weiss, the director of the Carter Center’s Guinea Worm Eradication Program. 

    “We continue to see a tightening of how widely distributed the disease is from more than 20 countries in the 1980s to just a few so far this year,” Weiss said. “A lot of good progress is being shown.”

    In 1986, the World Health Assembly called for eradication of Guinea worm disease. The Carter Center, a nonprofit created by the former president, stepped in to lead the effort, partnering with health departments in partner countries, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

    Carter visited a village in Ghana in 1988 that was suffering from Guinea worm infections, and he often spoke about an image that haunted him from that visit — of a Guinea worm emerging from a woman’s swollen breast

    “It left such a deep imprint on him, not because he saw despair. He felt the despair, but what he saw was there’s an opportunity,” Weiss said. “It was something he couldn’t turn his back on.” 

    Carter remained focused on the project until his death, telling reporters in 2015 that he wanted “the last Guinea worm to die before I do,” according to The Associated Press. He received updates on Guinea worm even after he entered hospice care, the AP reported.

    Former US President Jimmy Carter Deliver A Lecture on Guinea Worm Eradication
    Former President Jimmy Carter delivers a lecture on the eradication of the Guinea worm at the House of Lords in London on Feb. 3, 2016.Eddie Mullholland / Getty Images

    Only one human disease — smallpox — has been eradicated by human efforts. Guinea worm disease could become the second, though it may take years and new methods to push the effort across the finish line. 

    The disease, which is most often reported in rural, impoverished areas without clean drinking water, remains endemic in several African countries. People can be infected by multiple worms at a time — one man in Nigeria suffered as health workers removed more than 80 worms from his body in 1999. 

    Unlike smallpox, there is no vaccine or treatment to stop Guinea worm disease. So the Carter Center has worked with African and Asian health agencies to change how rural villagers live daily life by offering education about how the disease spreads and how to prevent it, providing water filters to those in need and using larvicides to control outbreaks. 

    By 2000, the disease had been eliminated from Southeast Asia

    “You need a champion like President Carter to say, ‘This is the flagship program of the Carter Center in health. We want this done,” said Dr. Jordan Tappero, the deputy director of neglected tropical diseases for the Gates Foundation, which has given funding to the Carter Center’s work. 

    In this Nov. 4, 2010 photo, children collect drinking water from a pond using filters provided to them by The Carter Center’s guinea worm eradication program in the remote village of Lengjak, in Awerial County, Lakes State, Southern Sudan.
    Children in South Sudan collect drinking water from a pond using filters provided by the Carter Center’s guinea worm eradication program on Nov. 4, 2010.Maggie Fick / AP file

    The World Health Organization’s goal is to eradicate Guinea worm disease by 2030. For that to happen, global cases have to remain at zero for three consecutive years. 

    This year’s preliminary case total of 11 represents a record low, but Tappero said more work lies ahead and new methods are likely required to achieve eradication. 

    Complicating the efforts are cases of Guinea worm disease detected in domestic animals. Guinea worm disease was first detected in dogs in 2012, forcing a shift in strategy. 

    “Infection in dogs and cats in these last countries makes it harder to get there by 2030,” Tappero said. “You can’t teach a dog to say this pond is safe to drink from, and that one’s not.” 

    Tappero said researchers are developing tools to immediately detect signs of the disease in water samples, working on diagnostic tests that could identify cases months before the parasite emerges and pursuing trials of a drug called Flubendazole for use in infected dogs. 

    In 2022, the Carter Center held a summit for some of the last countries fighting the disease. Angola, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan all agreed to accelerate their efforts to eradicate Guinea worm. 

    “That kind of political will is so important — having that kind of high-level commitment coupled with at the village level. People just want to get this done,” Weiss said. The path Carter paved, he added, makes it “pretty straightforward now.”

    CORRECTION (Jan. 1, 2025, 7:15 p.m. ET): A photo caption in a previous version of this article misstated where children were pictured collecting drinking water from a pond. It was in the country of South Sudan, not in southern Sudan.



    Former President Jimmy Carter has been a long-time advocate for the eradication of Guinea worm disease, a painful and debilitating parasitic infection that has plagued communities in Africa for centuries. Carter, who founded the Carter Center in 1982, made it a mission to see Guinea worm eliminated once and for all.

    Through a combination of education, prevention, and treatment efforts, Carter and his team made significant progress in reducing the number of Guinea worm cases worldwide. In 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm disease. By 2020, that number had dropped to just 27 reported cases, a remarkable achievement in the fight against this ancient disease.

    While Guinea worm has not been completely eradicated, Carter’s dedication and commitment to seeing it eliminated have brought us closer than ever before. The Carter Center continues to work tirelessly to reach the goal of zero cases of Guinea worm, and with continued support and resources, we may finally see the end of this painful disease in our lifetime. Let us continue to support President Carter and his team in their efforts to make Guinea worm a thing of the past.

    Tags:

    Jimmy Carter, Guinea worm, eradication, disease prevention, public health, Carter Center, global health, humanitarian efforts, worm eradication, Jimmy Carter legacy.

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  • GERMAN NEW GUINEA 1a REDDISH BROWN  MINT HINGED OG * NO FAULTS VERY FINE! – GNN

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