Jimmy Carter dedicated his life to helping his fellow citizens as he made impactful contributions as president of the United States, and continued his work significantly after his term by working to aid the residents of more impoverished countries. Carter began his most successful disease work following his presidency, officially establishing The Carter Center in 1982. He and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, worked together through the Carter Center to fight the diseases that afflicted lower income countries in the world. Jimmy Carter firmly held the belief that health, mental and physical, is a fundamental human right and must be treated as such. Most Americans have never heard or come into contact with the diseases Carter fought to eradicate, including river blindness, elephantiasis, snail fever and especially Guinea worm disease. These diseases fall into the category called NTDs, or Neglected Tropical Diseases. Carter spoke about his work with the NTDs in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in 2015. “Nobody else wanted to take it on, so I decided to take it on,” Carter said. He was very successful in his efforts to eradicate Guinea Worm Disease, bringing the infection rate down by 99.99%. Guinea worm disease is an ancient illness, caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinensis that enters the body through consumption of unfiltered water. The parasite then grows into a worm inside the body, and creates an open blister in the skin so that it can leave to lay its eggs. Many people suffering from poverty in third-world countries don’t have access to clean water, and the illness can’t be cured with medicine, so Guinea worm disease is impossible to completely eradicate. However, Carter did his best by educating the people at risk to change their behaviors in order to avoid infection. The biggest issue with spreading the parasite occurs when the worm begins to exit the body, and the afflicted person attempts to ease their pain by soaking their open wound in water. Contact with water during this phase causes the worm to release its larvae into the water, thereby furthering the water’s contamination. Carter and his team advised everyone against this habit, among others, and his work has been extremely successful. The Carter Center partners with organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development. They also work closely with UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and several others. Carter’s initiative also includes distribution of treatments for the diseases curable by drugs. Mectizan is effective in treating river blindness, and the Carter Center has helped to distribute over 500 million treatments of it. The Carter Center also launched a program for river blindness called the Carter Center’s Onchocerciasis Elimination Program of the Americas (OEPA). Carter’s mission in eliminating river blindness is nearly complete, as countries such as Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico have already eradicated it. Also, in Nigeria, there is no one who currently requires treatment, and in Uganda there is no ongoing transmission of the disease. The Carter Center campaign also established networks of healthcare personnel and assistance in neglected communities. Carter knew that if global health was a priority, peace must be as well. Carter managed a cease-fire in Sudan that lasted around 60 days, in order for healthcare workers to safely treat and prevent river blindness, polio, and Guinea worm disease. Carter also made advancements in mental healthcare, as his support of global public health includes mental health and the stigma surrounding it. This effort ties into his unwavering promotion of human rights, and his compassion for those suffering from a lack of resources to treat their mental or physical ailments. He championed the Rural Health Initiative in 1975, and established the Presidential Commission on Mental Health (PCMH) shortly after his inauguration in 1977. As president, Carter also signed the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 into law, a policy that provided federal funding to community health centers nationwide. Jimmy Carter took charge, humbly stepping up to the plate to fight for humanity’s right to health. He summarizes his work with the Carter Center in an interview with Larry King on CNN in 2010. “Most of our effort at the Carter Center is in diseases, curing, preventing and eradicating terrible diseases that still afflict the poorest, most helpless and needy people on Earth,” said Carter.
caption: Jimmy Carter helps treat a young girl affected by Guinea worm disease.
photo credit: The Carter Center