The Carter Center, founded by former President Jimmy Carter, works to build hope in some of the world's most impoverished and forgotten communities. Their health programs prevent the suffering of millions of people around the world from diseases often ignored by others.
People living in developing nations die or are disabled because they do not have access to the services they need to treat their illness or avoid infection entirely.
The Center is the base for the International Task Force for Disease Eradication, which has reviewed more than 100 infectious diseases and identified six as potentially eradicable.
As Guinea worm is poised to become the next disease after smallpox to be wiped off the face of the Earth, eradication efforts are rejuvenating communities throughout Africa. The Center spearheads the international campaign, which has reduced cases by more than 99.5 percent since 1986.
Improved sanitation and hygiene are critical to public health and overall development. As part of the Center's trachoma control efforts, more than 200,000 latrines were built in Ethiopia since 2004, transforming life in those communities.
They have assisted in the delivery of more than 75 million treatments in 11 river blindness-endemic countries in Latin America and Africa since 1996.
In some countries, the biggest factor to poor health is lack of access to trained health personnel. By strengthening the training of Ethiopia public health staff, 90 percent of the people in this large African country, who live in less developed rural areas, have greater access to basic disease prevention and health care services.
More than 4 million small-scale farmers in 15 Sub-Saharan African countries have learned improved agricultural techniques to double or triple grain production, growing more food for their families and boosting local economies.
[Source: Cartercenter.org]
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