India

India

In 1996, India made history as the second nation to eradicate Guinea worm disease since the campaign began in 1986.

Building Hope

The nation of India is its own subcontinent. A melting pot of diverse cultures, religious practices, and languages, India is the world's largest democracy. After India eradicated smallpox in the 1970s, the nation decided to eradicate Guinea worm disease and officially launched a national eradication effort to do so in 1983. India's eradication of Guinea worm disease was completed in 1996 and is a source of hope for the nation that other problems can be solved with the same hard work and commitment.

Fighting Disease

Eradicating Guinea Worm

Current Status: Transmission stopped, 1996
Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication: 2000

When India launched its program in 1983, there were a total of 44,818 reported cases of Guinea worm disease from seven western states. The last known indigenous case of Guinea worm disease was reported in July 1996 from the state of Rajasthan. In 2000, the World Health Organization certified India as free of Guinea worm disease.

Victims of Guinea worm are often incapacitated for nearly three months. Villagers may suffer food shortages when they are unable to work, and children may be unable to attend school. Eradicating Guinea worm disease has benefited whole communities in India, allowing Indians to achieve a better quality of life.

The Carter Center held a special ceremony in Atlanta in 2000 to honor India, Senegal, Chad, Yemen, Pakistan, Cameroon, and Kenya as having reached a milestone in Guinea worm eradication efforts. These nations were the first among the 20 endemic countries to stop transmission of Guinea worm disease for at least one year.

Read more about the ceremony (PDF).

Learn more about the Carter Center's Guinea Worm Eradication Program.

In 1986, the Carter Center's Guinea Worm Eradication Program began its work against the disease and today, it spearheads the international eradication campaign with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, ministries of health, and many other health partners. With many nations on the verge of elimination, Guinea worm is projected to be the next disease, after smallpox, to be eradicated from the Earth. Unlike smallpox, there is no vaccine or treatment for Guinea worm disease. Guinea worm will therefore be the first disease eradicated solely through education and preventive measures.

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