It has been revealed that the UK Government has granted a huge sum of £20m for the research and development of proper methods for the eradication of the ‘guinea worm’. This is a disease that has seemed to grip the entire world in large ways. It was in the year 1986 that as many as 3.5 million people were affected by this disease in 21 nations.

There were vigorous efforts made by the government of the United States and now the disease is confined to merely two or three nations and affects as many as 1,797 people each year. Among the affected nations, there are Mali and Ethiopia.

It is a disease that is transmitted through drinking the contaminated water and is later emerging through the body of the infected person. The incubation period for the same is about a year.

Through the funding in this regard, there shall be efficient awareness camps for the prevention of the disease as well as here would be effective treatment for the same. This would mean a decrease in the number of cases affected by the disease each year.

"We have had a strong partnership with DFID for years and to hear about this additional grant was music to our ears”, Dr. John Hardman, the Carter Foundation CEO.