How Jimmy Carter Changed the History of Humanity
He very nearly eradicated an ancient disease
I’ve done over 1,000 Global Dispatches podcast interviews since I started the show in 2013—twice a week, every week, for the past 15 years. I’m often asked: who is the guest I wish I could interview? My answer is invariably Jimmy Carter.
I’ve always been fascinated by his post-presidency. In many ways, he defined the modern post-presidency, setting an example that initiatives like the Clinton Foundation and the Obama Foundation would follow decades later. The Carter Center’s work on election monitoring helped establish global standards and provided confidence in fledgling democracies. Its conflict resolution program supports peacebuilding in regions often overlooked by the West. But for me, the Carter Center’s most impactful work—and indeed, Jimmy Carter’s most significant legacy—is his dedication to eradicating Guinea worm disease.
Guinea worm is a waterborne parasite that, when ingested, grows inside the body until it painfully exits through a lesion in the skin. There is no treatment. There is no cure. But it is entirely preventable. And if it’s prevented everywhere, Guinea worm disease can be eradicated.
We are now on the cusp of global eradication, thanks largely to the work of the Carter Center.
In 1986, Guinea worm disease affected 3.5 million people annually across 21 countries in Africa and Asia. Then, Jimmy Carter made its eradication a pillar of his post-presidential work. According to the Carter Center, the incidence of Guinea worm disease has been reduced by more than 99.99%. As of November this year, there were just seven reported cases of the disease—a 50% decline from the previous year.
Jimmy Carter’s presidency coincided with key events in international affairs, including the Iran hostage crisis and the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Yet, for my money, his most lasting legacy lies in what he achieved after leaving office. In terms of history-altering impacts on humanity, no legacy surpasses his determination to eradicate Guinea worm disease.
I had long planned to rebroadcast for December 29, 2024 my February 2023 interview with Adam Joseph Weiss, director of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center. In that conversation, he explained how the Carter Center and its partners have fought this ancient parasite and why they are tantalizingly close to global eradication.
Now, with news of Jimmy Carter’s passing at age 100, this interview takes on even greater urgency—as does the mission of wiping this horrid disease off the face of the earth once and for all.
Rest in power, Jimmy Carter.
The episode is freely available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.