Summary: When The Carter Center began leading the campaign to eradicate Guinea worm in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million cases of the disease in 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Today, there are fewer than 5,000 cases in six African countries—Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Niger—making Guinea worm disease poised to be the next disease after smallpox to be eradicated. Dr. Donald Hopkins, who directs all health programs at The Carter Center and is a leading expert on disease eradication including smallpox, and Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, who leads the Center's Guinea worm eradication program, discuss the journey toward this public health achievement and the strategy to reach zero cases of the disease. 1/15/2009
