title: Nigeria's triumph: dracunculiasis eradicated.
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.
authors.affiliation: The Carter Center, Jos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Emmanuel S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Miri
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Tiben
authors.forename: Adamu S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Keana
authors.forename: P Craig
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Withers
authors.forename: Ifeoma N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Anagbogu
authors.forename: Lola K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Sadiq
authors.forename: Oladele O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: Luke D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Edungbola
authors.forename: Eka I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Braide
authors.forename: Joshua O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Ologe
authors.forename: Cephas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ityonzughul
mesh_terms: D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D004320:Dracunculiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004782:Environmental Health; D005374:Filtration; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D014867:Water