Carter reaffirms support for guinea worm eradication in Ghana

Savelugu (NR), Feb. 9, GNA- Mr. Jimmy Carter, former United States President (USA), on Thursday, reaffirmed his support for the fight to eradicate guinea worm disease in the country.

He, however, said funds allocated to fight the disease could be channelled into other critical sectors of the country's economy. The former U.S.A President was speaking at separate functions at Tingoli and Savelugu, guinea worm endemic communities in the Tolon/Kumbungu and Savelugu/Nanton Districts, during his one-day official visit to the Northern Region.

Mr Carter called on stakeholders and other development partners to help combat the guinea worm menace and trachoma in the next two years to mitigate the plight of affected people.

Mr Carter said though the provision of potable water was not the only way to eradicate the disease, it was necessary to give the people good drinking water.

He expressed satisfaction with the progress made at Tingoli, where according to him there had not been any reported case of guinea worm or trachoma disease for the past one year due to effective preventive measures.

Mr. Carter appealed to the stakeholders to continue to monitor the progress to prevent resurgence of the disease. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, advised the people to pay attention to children particularly, those from guinea worm endemic areas so that they would not contract the disease. He said "When the guinea worm disease is eradicated, we would all feel relieved."

At Savelugu, Mr. Carter observed how guinea worm infected persons were being treated at the containment centre where over 100 children were being kept for treatment.

The visit was to enable Mr. Carter to ascertain progress being made in the region by the Carter Centre and other development partners, to eradicate guinea worm disease and to find out how best the bodies could improve on their activities.