A year after Jimmy Carter's death, the disease he swore to eradicate reaches an all-time low
Updated on: January 30, 2026 / 12:26 PM EST / CBS Atlanta
TL;DR
- The Carter Center is nearing the eradication of Guinea worm disease, a mission led by former President Jimmy Carter.
- Cases have dropped from an estimated 3.5 million to just 10 reported globally in 2025.
- Eradication was achieved through education and behavioral changes to interrupt the worm's life cycle, not with medicine or vaccines.
- Jimmy Carter personally fundraised and raised global awareness for the cause.
- Guinea worm disease causes painful, debilitating blistering as worms emerge from the skin.
- The World Health Organization's target for eradication is 2030, but the Carter Center hopes to achieve it sooner.