As GPB looks back on the work of Georgia native and 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter, one of his most impactful accomplishments is the eradication campaign to combat Dracunculiasis, best known as Guinea worm disease.
Carter targeted diseases primarily affecting the poor in remote areas — notably "Guinea worm disease." Because of his commitment, case numbers plummeted from 3.6 million a year to just 13 in 2022.
When The Carter Center assumed 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. Now, there are roughly 13 human cases.
Wednesday on Political Rewind: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis says criminal charges are "imminent" in her investigation into the 2020 election, but her final report will stay sealed while she pursues charges. Although they don't have the votes, state Democrats filed bills to overturn Georgia's abortion ban.
The Carter Center said Tuesday that only 13 human cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide last year. After decades of progress, the eradication program's director cautioned the end phase of the global effort to eradicate the parasitic disease will be "the most difficult."
