What it means to be guinea worm free: an insider’s account from Ghana’s Northern Region

Summary

In 2015 the World Health Organization certified Ghana as being free of guinea worm disease (GWD). This study was designed to understand the attitudes and perceptions of Ghanaians after the eradication of GWD to capture the voices of those affected by the disease.

The value residents placed on the absence of GWD highlights both the impact infection had on the pursuit of social and economic advancement and the newfound ability to be disease-free and productive. Of the 143 respondents, 133 had GWD in the past and were incapacitated for an average of six weeks annually per GW infection, with each infected person affected nearly four times in their lifetime.