At Work Around the World

Central African Republic

Central African Republic is one of 20 countries to have stopped transmission of Guinea worm disease since 1986.

Building Hope

The Carter Center congratulates the Central African Republic on its efforts to eradicate Guinea worm as part of an international campaign to forever eliminate this painful and debilitating parasitic infection.

Fighting Disease

Eradicating Guinea Worm

Current Status: Transmission stopped, 2001
Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication: 2007

When the national eradication program began in the Central African Republic, it was unclear whether Guinea worm cases were endemic or imported to the country. In 2000, a team of specialists traveled to the nation and determined that the disease was probably endemic, although cases were few-only 15 villages reporting one or more infections in 1999. In 2007, the World Health Organization certified the Central African Republic as free of Guinea worm disease. 

To assist the Central African Republic to prevent transmission of Guinea worm disease, The Carter Center provided endemic communities with cloth water filters-used to strain out the infective Guinea worm larvae-as well as applied ABATE® larvicide, donated by BASF Corporation, to local stagnant water sources. The Carter Center also supported a Guinea worm eradication consultant for the Central African Republic from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, the nation has worked to stop disease transmission entirely and did so in 2001. Since then, the Central African Republic has worked to stop disease transmission entirely and did so in 2001.