ANTI -JIGGER CAMPAIGN AND CHILD HEALTHCARE PROMOTION IN GEM - SUB COUNTY, KENYA

Initiative Year: 2026 | Duration: 2–3 years

Objectives/Background

Background

There are over 2.6 million jigger infested Kenyans registered by Ahadi Kenya Trust and so far has claimed the lives of over 265 people in the last two years. Poverty rate of 52.9% and subsequent lack of proper hygiene and living in grass thatched houses without proper floor(soils floor) cause jigger infestation and provide places for jiggers to hide. Children barely concentrate in class, as they are distracted by the pain caused by sores on their toes, soles of their feet and other parts of the body making some of them disabled and hence poor performance.

Treating jigger infested children will end the pain caused by the sores on the child's toes, make them to be healthier. since jiggers deny the child necessary nutrients by feeding on the blood, spraying homes will eradicate the jigger breeding grounds and by proving shoes to the treated children will enable them not to expose their feet to dirt and dust which are jigger zones. Sensitizing the communities will empower them to maintain proper hygiene. In our project we are targeting the school going children. We hope to scale up treatment process in victim homes.

The objectives of the event are to:-

i. Mobilize and sensitize the community on predisposition factors to jiggers.

ii. Prevention and controlling of the spread of jiggers through treating of affected children and adults

III. Provision of shoes and fumigation of household critically affected

iv. Guiding and counselling services to resident and household

Context/Target Group

The project will be undertaken in Gem – Sub County in Kenya. This is a community driven project based on descriptive design which will enable the researcher to gather wide ranging data of community households participating in the project and relatively large number of children targeted by the project in Gem Sub - County. The project will be focused on 6 wards in the sub- county namely: Yala township with prevalence rate of 27%; East Gem with a prevalence rate of 22%; West Gem with a prevalence rate of 23%; North Gem with prevalence rate of 17%; Central Gem with a prevalence rate of 19% and South Gem with a prevalence rate of 14%. Affected people include children of school going age (5-14 years), women, youth, elderly, and those living with disability. A recent survey by Elson et al, (2023) in Kenya, showed that While specific county-by-county percentages for Nyanza are often grouped into national surveys, it is frequently classified in the 15-40% prevalence range in highly affected endemic pockets.

The entire targeted population of children consist of 3,500 school going pupils within the framework of the primary schools in the area that are critically affected. The area has over 330 primary schools. Estimated population of approximately 338,261 people, based on national census (KBS, 2022).The school going children(0-9yrs) – 74, 000; the youth and young adults (10 – 64yrs) – 230,453 and the adult 65+(65,000).

Implementation Approach

The project involved community members, including patients already admitted in the hospitals in the area; the school going children age (0 – 14yrs) within the framework of primary schools in the area, and identified adults and project staff. Eligible participants include various categories of adults living within the community; the youth within the area and school going children within the set – up of primary school framework. Patient categories comprised outreach participants with mild infestations, in-patients with severe cases, and recovered individuals providing follow-up insights. Both adults and children (with guardian consent) were included. Project staff—health workers, community volunteers, and coordinators—participated to share operational and experiential perspectives on prevention, treatment, and control of jiggers within the community-driven intervention framework

The preparation was intense and involved community leadership, the primary schools, the education officials; and Gem - community as a whole. The local chiefs were informed of our intentions and gave us the go a head and even accompanied us during the events. The conduct of the baseline survey actually help in identifying the link persons in the community. The teachers in all primary schools were all involved because some of students at the school were also affected. The community health worker was involved because she is meant to take the report from the community to the ministry of health for follow-up and she did an excellent Job.

the activities include:

1. improve communication by creating a network for all participants

2. create awareness through educational campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination

3. provide treatments and medication

4. rescue and refer intractable cases to clinics

5. purchase and distribute shoes to all children and at - risk populations

6.fumigation of household critically at risk

7.iniatiate a programme of regular visits by establishing mobile clinics in the area

Partnerships & Areas for Strengthening

The specific areas include:

1. Purchase of shoes for the children going age. This will ensure that recurrent jiggers is limited in schools.

2. Improve hygiene: Poor hygiene is one of the major causes of the infestation. Children are the most affected by jiggers since they may not take good care of themselves. Children from impoverished communities who are infected have difficulty walking and thus miss out on school and extracurricular activities. They usually isolate themselves from other children due to shame and stigmatization.

3. physical facilities improvement in some schools that have poor classroom floor with tiles.

4. Fumigation equipment's and pesticides: Fumigation against jiggers involves the use the certified, highly effective, and non - toxic insecticides to eliminate the elements of pest from various environment. Currently the support is lacking

5. Education material for the communities. Various books and modules on management of jiggers should be made available in all schools in the area

6. Research and Development of vaccines: use science development and technology to help in treatment of new strain of jiggers

7.Suuport and availability of Resources: Establishment of free treatment, follow - up of children and those critically ill