On the 14th and 16th February MOH, MOE, and JICA-NUITM held the first annual jiggers campaign, commemorating the national jiggers awareness day in the two sub-counties of Suba-south and Ndhiwa respectively.
These meetings were successful seeing 749 participants from Suba south and 861 in Ndhiwa.
Main Aim
The event’s major aim was to create awareness on jiggers, Behavior change, and Capacity building on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of jiggers.
The campaign targeted the most hard-to-reach areas and endemic areas regarding the baseline survey that was carried out.
These areas were the Kisaku unit(Kisaku Primary School) and Kwamo unit (Osure Primary School)
Activities
The Major activities included;
Diagnosis
This was done by the Ministry of Health Community Health Volunteers(CHVs) with the help of the JICA-NUITM team, this involved inspection of patients’ feet to ascertain the presence of jiggers.
Treatment
The treatment was also done by MOH and JICA-NUITM as follows.
Wash the patient’s feet or affected area thoroughly with clean water and soap, add 5 liters of clean water to a clean basin, add half a teaspoon of potassium permanganate then soak feet for 15-20 minutes then apply petroleum jelly to the feet. (Use locally available jelly was promoted e.g Ng’ombe, Harimis)
The patients were encouraged to also use sodium carbonate (Magadi)which is readily available.
250gms of sodium carbonate into warm water and soak for 15-20 minutes followed by application of petroleum jelly.
Application of coconut oil was also promoted for it acta both a repellant and oil care.
Health promotion and positive behavior change targeting personal and environmental hygiene was the majorly discussed by all stakeholders
Severe cases are to be referred to the nearby health facility for professional treatment by the hospital personnel. (count of ten fleas and above)
Only the victims were given rubber shoes to protect their feet from reinfestation.
Video showing
MOH and JICA -NUITM came up with an educational video on jiggers that was shown to the pupils in Osure Primary School.
Entertainment and speeches
Both the CHV and Pupils of the hosting school presented poems, songs, and skits which were very educative on jiggers.
The stakeholders shared educative messages on the jigger’s menace and the importance of the project to ensure its sustainability.
SARAYA International
This is an international organization that provides all solutions in sanitation and Health through the production of hand soap detergents, hand sanitizers, and provision of rubber shoes to the patients.
They attended the campaign and donated us rubber shoes, hand sanitizer and other hygiene product in support of the cause. We hope to continue a good partnership with them so as to ensure sustainability of the project.
We would like to thank all partners, the host schools and residents who participated and supported the campaign.