Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ACCRA266
2004-02-10 13:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Accra
Cable title:  

FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER IN GHANA FEBRUARY 3-5:

Tags:  EAID OVIP SOCI GH 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000266 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID OVIP SOCI GH
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER IN GHANA FEBRUARY 3-5:
GUINEA WORM ERADICATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000266

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID OVIP SOCI GH
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER IN GHANA FEBRUARY 3-5:
GUINEA WORM ERADICATION


1. (SBU) Former President Jimmy Carter and members of the
Carter Center visited Ghana February 3-5 to rally support to
eradicate the last one percent of guinea worm cases
worldwide. Carter attended a Country Team briefing and
reception hosted by Ambassador Yates, visited guinea worm
infested areas, met with leaders in the Northern Region and
President of Ghana John Agyekum Kufuor. Throughout his trip,
Carter reiterated the need for a concerted effort by the GoG
to eradicate guinea worm. Harsh in his criticism for the lack
of concerted effort, Carter would not relent on what he saw
as a definitive lack of commitment by the current
administration to effectively tackle this preventable
disease. However, after meeting with Kufuor, Carter left with
a sense of Ghana's renewed commitment to eradicate Guinea
worm. End Summary.


2. (U) Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn
Carter brought a delegation from the Carter Center to Ghana
on February 3-5 to assess Ghana's failure to eradicate Guinea
Worm, a debilitating water-borne disease that afflicts over
35,000 people. Ghana represents about 27 percent of the
remaining guinea worm cases. Accompanying President Carter
from the Carter Center were Jeff Carter, Richard Blum, John
Hardman, Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben and Nancy Konigsmark.
President Carter and his team first met with members of the
Country Team who briefed him on the current state of Ghana's
economic, political and health affairs. At the end of the
briefing, Carter's primary focus was why Ghana performs so
poorly in eradicating Guinea worm. The Carter delegation then
attended a reception hosted by Ambassador Yates giving key
health officials, including the Minister of Health Dr. Kwaku
Afriyie, the opportunity to meet with his team. The Carters
asked that the international community to do all it could to
ensure GoG commitment to eradicating the disease. Ghana just
needs a little push said Mrs. Carter. The theme of the trip,
"Committed to Finishing the Job," became a mantra reiterated
throughout the visit.


3. (U) On February 4 the Director General of the WHO Dr.
Jong-Wok Lee and Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF Dr. Kul
Gautam joined the Carter delegation, the Minister of Health
and Ambassador Yates on a trip to guinea worm infested areas
in the Northern Region. Carter visited guinea worm endemic

villages and watched a demonstration of the simple filtering
techniques that prevent the disease. He also met with health
leaders to get their perspective on the current state of the
disease. He stated that a lack of boreholes does not
exculpate Ghana since guinea worm had been eradicated in
areas where there were no boreholes and no easy access to
water. He made it clear that he found the excuse unacceptable
and that more needed to be done to mobilize resources to rid
Ghana of the often debilitating affliction.


4. (U) During his press conference with a number of
representatives of international and local press, Carter
stated that Ghana is not doing enough to eradicate the
disease. He also did not accept the excuse that the reason
behind the poor performance was due to a lack of boreholes,
something leaders in the infested areas told him time and
again. He noted that drier, poorer countries had managed to
eradicate the disease and that Ghana could not wait for the
solution in a borehole and pointed out that even a country at
war like Sudan was reducing cases. He also noted that
education and filtering are the key components to eradication
efforts.


5. (U) After a full day in Tamale, President and Mrs. Carter
visited President Kufuor who welcomed and thanked them for
the Carter Center's advocacy and support for Guinea worm
eradication in Ghana. President Carter repeated comments he
had made throughout the day about Ghana falling behind the
majority of other countries in eradicating the disease.
President Kufuor said he knew Ghana could and should do
better, citing the need for better education and for more
bore holes. Carter diplomatically responded that he
understood the importance of deep wells for villages, but
maintained his mantra that filtering water is all that is
needed to eradicate the disease. Dr. Gautam told Kufuor that
one of Ghana's most illustrious public servants Kofi Anan had
made a two-minute video on Guinea worm and pointed out that
most of the victims are children. President Carter also
convinced Kufuor to add a 30 second spot of his own. In the
course of the 30-minute meeting, President Carter invited
President Kufuor to the Carter Center, and they also
discussed election monitoring. President Carter offered the
services of his Center to Kufuor. It was the first meeting
between these two leaders and very positive and cordial.


6. (SBU) Comment: The international media attention was
focused on Ghana's underperformance on Guinea worm and the
picture was not pretty. Constituting 27 percent of the
current Guinea worm cases worldwide in an area where poorer
and drier countries have outperformed were an uncomfortable
position for Ghana. After having the spotlight shined on its
problem, Ghana seems ready to tackle this preventable
disease, using the limited resources necessary to do the job.
End Comment.
Lanier