Guinea Worm

Dublin Core

Title

Guinea Worm

Description

Guinea worm is poised to be the second human disease to be eradicated. The Carter Center, with partners like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, began leading the international campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease in 1986. That year, it was estimated that 3.5 million cases occurred annually in 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Guinea worm disease is a painful and debilitating parasite that is contracted by drinking Guinea worm infected-water. There is no vaccine or drug to prevent the disease, only behavior change through health education. Working with the ministries of health and impacted communities, Guinea worm disease has been reduced by more than 99 percent. During 2020, only 12 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported in Chad, a dramatic 75 percent reduction from 48 the previous year. Eleven cases were reported in Ethiopia, and one each in South Sudan, Angola, Mali, and Cameroon. As for Guinea worm infections in animals, Chad reported 1,570 (1,507 domestic dogs, 61 domestic cats, and two wild cats), Ethiopia reported 15 (eight domestic dogs, three domestic cats, four baboons), and Mali reported eight infected domestic dogs. The buttons to the right will connect you to a searchable database of oral histories, photographs and media. To conduct an advanced search, use the link in the blue navigation bar above. Use of this information is free, but please see “About this Site” for guidance on how to acknowledge the sources of the information used. .

Collection Items

2008 Guinea Worm Status
Dr. Don Hopkins discusses the statuus of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program and relates that to the lessons learned from smallpox eradication. Cases still occuring in Sudan, Nigeria, Pakistan.
He is introduced by Dr. Stanley Foster.

KANE, MOHAMMED SALISSOU
Mohammed Salissou Kane, Carter Center representative in Mali.

Guinea Worm Oral History Project - Interviewed by Nancy Hilyer

FORSON, MICHAEL
Michael Forson is UNICEF, New York; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Specialist. Headquarters Consultant to UNICEF in Guinea Worm Endemic Countries; Formerly Responsible for UNICEF Guinea Worm Eradication Support in Ghana.

Guinea Worm Oral History…

KORKOR, ANDREW SEIDU
Dr. Andrew Seidu Korkor is the National Program Manager in the Guinea worm Eradication at the Ministry the of Health in Ghana.

Guinea Worm Oral History Project - Interviewed by Nancy Hilyer

GEBRE, TESHOME
Teshome Gebre is the Carter Center representative in Ethiopia, he talks about his life and his activities with the Guinea worm program.

Guinea Worm Oral History Project - Interviewed by Nancy Hilyer

BECKNELL, STEVE
Steve Becknell, is the former field technical assistant in northern Ghana and then resident technical assistant in Southern Sudan.

Guinea Worm Oral History Project - Interviewed by Nancy Hilyer

PHOTOMICROGRAPH
A color photograph of three Guinea worms, or Dracunculiasis medinensis, magnified 125X.

PIPE FILTERS – Sudan
A color photograph of people using pipe filter individual filtration devices to drink from a local water source at the Kuse Dam, Terekeka County, in South Sudan.

WOUND CARE – Sudan
A color photograph of six-year-old Thom Mayom assisting nurse John Loitiki as his badly infected Guinea worm wound is dressed at a Guinea worm case containment center in Abuyong, South Sudan.
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