In September 2008, The Carter Center and a binational effort between the Dominican Republic and Haiti launched a historic one-year initiative to help the countries and their other partners accelerate the elimination of two devastating mosquito-borne infections-malaria and lymphatic filariasis. The only island in the Caribbean that still has malaria, Hispaniola also contains more than 90 percent of all lymphatic filariasis remaining in the Americas. Both diseases are more prevalent in Haiti than in the Dominican Republic. (Read more about malaria and lymphatic filariasis.)
With assistance from The Carter Center, the nations' health officials have targeted malaria in two demonstration projects: two border towns joined by a bridge over the Massacre River: Dajabón, Dominican Republic (pop. 28,000) and Ouanaminthe, Haiti (pop. 72,000); and a second area, Trou-du-Nord, Haiti (pop. 40,000). The border towns constitute the most important commercial exchange area on the Haitian-Dominican border. In addition to malaria prevention, Trou-du-Nord also has been targeted for lymphatic filariasis elimination.
In October 2009, a Carter Center delegation led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, traveled to Hispaniola to see first-hand binational progress against these diseases and to draw international attention to the new binational plans to eliminate malaria and lymphatic filariasis from the island by 2020.
Here are some of the stories of this groundbreaking project and the people who are waging peace and building hope by uniting across borders to fight disease.
Battling Mosquitoes and Malaria in La Bomba, Dominican Republic >
Tracking Fevers and Teaching Prevention: A Haitian Health Agent's Story >
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