Nigeria's Triumph: Dracunculiasis Eradicated

Emmanuel Miri

Donald Hopkins

Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben

Adamu Keana

Luke Edungbola+3 authors

The Carter Center, Jos, Nigeria; The Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia; World Health Organization/Nigeria and Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria

*Address correspondence to Donald R. Hopkins, Health Programs, The Carter Center, 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30307. E-mail: ude.yrome@illusds

Received 2010 Mar 3; Accepted 2010 Apr 13.

Abstract

This report describes how Nigeria, a country that at one time had the highest number of cases of dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) in the world, reduced the number of cases from more than 653,000 in 1988 to zero in 2009, despite numerous challenges. Village-based volunteers formed the foundation of the program, which used health education, cloth filters, vector control, advocacy for safe water, voluntary isolation of patients, and monitored program interventions and cases reported monthly. Other factors in the program's success were strong governmental support, advocacy by a former head of state of Nigeria, technical and financial assistance by The Carter Center, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organization, and many other partners and donors. The estimated cost of the Nigerian program during 1988–2009 is $37.5 million, not including funding for water supply projects or salaries of Nigerian governmental workers.

Abstract

Acknowledgments

We thank the thousands of village volunteers and health workers for contributions to this work; Carter Center consultants Ben C. Nwobi, Mohammed Jabir, and Chinyere U. Maduka and Carter Center resident advisors Patrick McConnon, Mike Street, and Wayne Duncan for contributions; and Renn McClintic-Doyle and Shandal Sullivan for assistance in preparing the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

Footnotes

Financial support: Most major donors are named in this report. Other in-kind donors to the Nigeria effort not named in the paper include Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., Global Aero Logistics/North American Airlines, Norsk Hydro, Johnson and Johnson, Voice of America, and Daimler Benz. Donors to core funding for Guinea worm eradication via The Carter Center, some of which helped support activities in Nigeria, include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; The World Bank; the governments of Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Norway, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates; the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development; the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund for International Development; the Saudi Fund for Development, Mid-Continent University; the U.S. Peace Corps, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; the United Nations Foundation; the World Food Programme; the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; the John C. and Karyl Kay Hughes Foundation; the John P. Hussman Foundation; the Chevron Corporation; the Franklin Mint; Vestergaard Frandsen; the YKK Corporation, and Henry McConnon.

Authors' addresses: Emmanuel S. Miri and Adamu S. Keana, The Carter Center, Jos, Nigeria, E-mails: moc.oohay@gnretnecretrac and moc.oohay@uallasumada. Donald R. Hopkins, Health Programs, The Carter Center, Atlanta, GA, E-mail: ude.yrome@illusds. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, Guinea Worm Eradication Program, The Carter Center, Atlanta, GA, E-mail: ude.yrome@itziure. P. Craig Withers Jr., Program Support Health Programs, The Carter Center, Atlanta, GA, E-mail: ude.yrome@rehtiwc. Ifeoma N. Anagbogu, Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Program, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Nigeria, E-mail: ku.oc.oohay@abuhcefi. Lola K. Sadiq and Cephas Ityonzughul, World Health Organization/Nigeria Disease Prevention and Control, United Nations House Plot 617/618, Diplomatic Zone Central Area District, Garki Abuja, Nigeria, E-mails: ku.oc.oohay@qidasalol and tni.ohw.orfa.gn@cluhguznoyti. Oladele O. Kale, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, E-mail: moc.oohay@elakoo. Luke D. Edungbola, Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515 Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, E-mails: moc.tennaks@snudekul, moc.oohay@snudekul, or an.ude.nirolinu@snudekul. Eka I. Braide, Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, E-mail: moc.liamtoh@b_menake. Joshua O. Ologe, c/o Dr. Christy Omolehin, The Word Assembly, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, E-mail: ku.oc.oohay@5591egolo.

Reprint requests: Donald R. Hopkins, The Carter Center, 453 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30307, E-mail: ude.yrome@illusds.

Footnotes

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