Accompanied by wife Rosalynn, US Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten and Haiti’s Public Health Minister Florence Duperval Guillaune, Former US President Jimmy Carter launched National Initiative to Eliminate Filariasis on Sunday Nov. 7, 2011, a massive $1.5 million medication distribution campaign to help eradicate Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti.
Also known as elephantiasis, lymphatic Filariasis infected more than 120 million people worldwide, putting an additional 1.3 billion in 81 countries at risk, reported the World Health Organization. Filarial parasites, microscopic thread-like worms transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, caused the infection of the parasitic disease and Haiti is among four countries in the Western Hemisphere where the neglected tropical disease is still prevalent. The former president foresaw Foundation Carter, his charitable organization playing a pivotal role in eliminating the disease identified in 134 communal sections of Haiti by year 2020.
“Diseases such as Lymphatic Filariasis do more than cause suffering to those who are affected,” stated Ambassador Merten during the launching ceremony. “They prevent victims from reaching their full potential, reduce their ability to support their families and be active and productive members of society.” According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “People with the disease can suffer from lymphedema and elephantiasis and in men, swelling of the scrotum, called hydrocele.” Globally, health authorities recognize Lymphatic Filariasis as a leading cause of permanent disability.
Welcoming the initiative, public health Minister Guillaume declared, “We appreciate the cooperation and support of the U.S. government in the fight against Filariasis,” pledging to mobilize resources from all sectors of Haitian society to ensure the country meets its 2020 goal. For his part, Ambassador Merten praised the Carter Center’s tireless efforts in helping free Haiti from Lymphatic Filariasis. For many years, the organization sought proactive solutions to help cure the parasitic disease through financial assistance and awareness campaigns.
During his week-long trip, the Nobel Peace Prize winner planned to visit Leogane; a city located 18 miles south of Port-au-Prince leveled by the Jan. 12 earthquake, where his organization would oversee the construction of 100 houses for people displaced by the earthquake. “When we see the devastation that took place last year, we are compelled to act and are determined to assist the Haitian people rebuild their communities,” said the former president. “Rosalynn and I are grateful to all of the Habitat volunteers and the families in Haiti who will join us in this effort.” He expected more than 500 Habitat from Humanity volunteers from around the globe, including many partner organizations to join him and his wife as they launched the project. President Carter also indicated he would meet with President Michel Martelly on Tuesday, although he did not say whether their encounter would be political or not.
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