All of us at The Task Force for Global Health extend our heartfelt condolences to the Carter family, our colleagues at The Carter Center, the community of Plains, GA, and all those who knew and admired this beloved son of Georgia.
The world has lost a hero and a champion. With a strong moral code, a love of family and community, a passion for fairness and equity, a commitment to civic duty, and a strong and selfless work ethic, President Carter’s vision and dedication improved health, and ensured democracies, for millions of the world’s citizens.
President and Mrs. Carter’s visionary leadership in founding the Carter Center in 1982 led to remarkable and sustained progress in fighting 11 neglected tropical diseases, many in partnership with The Task Force for Global Health, including onchocerciasis (river blindness), blinding trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, malaria, and schistosomiasis, and led to the near-eradication of Guinea Worm disease, reducing infections from the millions to 14 cases in 2023. The Carter Center oversaw 125 elections in 40 countries, with President Carter himself overseeing 39.
During his lifetime he received the world’s highest honors – the United Nations’ Human Rights Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet he remained a humble man, grounded in the values of his childhood in Plains, determined to be impactful and not content to retire on the strength of his accolades.
While we join his family, community, the state of Georgia and the nation in mourning the passing of President Carter, we also celebrate his life and his many contributions to our world. As we reflect on his deep convictions and tireless efforts, we are inspired to rededicate ourselves and our organization to achieving his vision of a healthy, peaceful, and equitable world.
Photo Credit: The Carter Center
President and Mrs. Carter help measure people’s heights to determine how many Mectizan® treatments should be received to prevent the parasitic disease river blindness. President Carter provides a single annual treatment of the drug to a young girl after she is measured.
