A new documentary, "The President and the Dragon," chronicles former President Jimmy Carter's near 40-year crusade to eradicate Guinea worm disease, a campaign that brought cases down from 3.5 million to just 15.
Oct 1, 2025
Source:
NPR
Carter's Post-Presidency Crusade Chronicled in New Film
A new documentary released today, "The President and the Dragon," details former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s decades-long battle against Guinea worm disease. The film offers an intimate look at a global health campaign that is on the brink of succeeding.
Directed by Waleed Eltayeb and Ian D. Murphy, the documentary follows the ambitious initiative led by Carter and The Carter Center from 1986. The effort has reduced cases of the parasitic disease from an estimated 3.5 million per year across 21 countries to a mere 15 reported cases last year.
Guinea worm disease, caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinensis, is poised to become only the second human disease in history to be eradicated, following smallpox.
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Source:
NPR
A War Waged Without a Vaccine
The documentary underscores a critical point: the near-eradication was achieved without a vaccine or cure. The entire campaign relied on low-tech, community-based public health interventions.
The "Guinea Worm Warriors"
Central to the story are the local volunteers and health workers, dubbed "Guinea worm warriors." The film follows Sudanese director Waleed Eltayeb as he travels to remote and often dangerous regions to capture their work.
Education: Teaching villagers to filter their drinking water through simple cloth filters.
Surveillance: Identifying and containing new cases to prevent further contamination of water sources.
Persistence: Overcoming challenges in war-torn areas and communities with little infrastructure.
Jason Carter, the former President’s grandson and Carter Center board chair, noted the deep personal nature of the mission. "My grandfather desperately wanted to outlive Guinea worm," he said, "and he came remarkably close to doing it."
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Source:
WALB
