What next for victims? Looking beyond the eradication of jigger infestation

This comes as the government stepped up efforts to ensure proper sanitation in jigger-prone regions in the mapped out 42 counties.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Ahadi Kenya Trust Executive Director Stanley Kamau called on the government to enforce the implementation of the national guidelines on the control and prevention of jiggers.

“For Kenya to win the fight against jiggers, there is need for action from both the county and national governments. We also need to ensure that affected families receive support to boost their productivity,” he added.

For instance, in Murang’a County, stakeholders such as Ahadi Trust and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) are complementing government efforts by offering viable solutions to boost the local economies.

“We have supported local groups by supplying machinery and equipment such as posho mills for locals to better their lives,” Kamau added.

Jigger infestation has far-reaching effects on the local community, with school-going children forced to drop out. Rendering the victim immobile, jiggers limit one’s productivity leading to poverty and slowed economic growth of a community.