We conducted CHVs sector meetings in April 2022 to kickoff the main activities of the project!

Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine(NUITM)-JICA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Homabay -County is undertaking Sustainable Tungiasis Control Project in Ndhiwa and Suba-South Sub-counties since Feb 2020.

Since the commencement of the project, we conducted a cascade training on Tungiasis (Aug-Oct 2021) and later did a baseline survey (Sep 2021 – Jan 2022) which was then analyzed to establish the most endemic areas of jiggers in both sub-counties.

In April 2022, we went back to the CHV(Community Health Volunteer)s and organized sector meetings in their CU(Community Unit)s with the following purposes:

To express our appreciation
To share a recap on the baseline survey
To check the monthly reports that have been compiled by the CHVs
To understand the challenges on the ground concerning jiggers’ intervention

Meeting with also CHA(Community Health Assistant) and the Health facility in charge
Tonga lower Community Unit in Suba South sub-county

The CHVs were ready and committed to work towards the eradication of Tungiasis.

Sharing the data with CHVs from the baseline survey
Rangwa East Community Unit in Suba south

During the meetings, we confirmed the endemic schools and compared them with the information which we already had. The meetings were fruitful and we got to understand the challenges the CHVs are facing in the community.

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Suba- South Sub-county

Duration: 5days (4^th to 8^th April 2022)

No. of CUs: 16 Community Units

Attendance:137 CHVs

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Ndhiwa Sub-county

Duration: 9 days (19^th to 29^th April 2022)

No. of CUs: 26 Community Units

Attendance: 238 CHVs

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We also distributed MOH 514 to 375 CHVs in these sub-counties and provided a brief orientation on how to report jiggers’ cases monthly.

MOH 514 is a reporting tool used by CHVs to report communal diseases including jiggers. It is a crucial booklet for the Ministry of Health to know the extent of such diseases in the local areas.

Ministry of Health requested JICA-NUITM to assist them with printing and distributing of this tool due to lack of funds from the government.

We expect that now the CHVs will take on the ownership of this project and actively engage in treatment and prevention of jiggers in each location.