The Kisii County government has been challenged to allocate funds to steer the war against jiggers.
Speaking on Thursday during the launch of anti-jigger campaign at Mitengero village in Kisii Central ward, a community based organisation, Brothers Keeper's Chief Executive Officer Nickson Onundu Nyakweba wondered that the government was adamant on the anti-jigger campaign and watched as its residents suffered from the predicament.
“Kisii County government has not done much to sensitise and eradicate jiggers from our midst. We ask our governor James Ongwae through the Ministry of Health to allocate funds for the campaign if he values the lives of his electorate,” said the Brothers Keeper CEO.
Mr Nyakweba appealed to well-wishers to come out and fight the menace in the community by economically empowering impoverished families by offering material or financial support.
“Some of us are blessed but we turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to our brothers and sisters who are suffering from the jigger menace because of poverty. I belief that if all of us hold our hands together we will fight against the problem,” he said.
He requested Governor Ongwae to offer them a space for a container so as the public can donate material and funds for the orphans and less fortunate.
“I ask the governor to identify space for a container and make it official so that members of the public can donate for the impoverished residents as an effort to eradicate poverty, hence, reducing the jigger problem.”
The organisation’s Secretary Enock Mokua said the menace of jiggers is likely to dwindle economical gains the county is making and therefore challenged the government to ensure the health of its people is good.
“The government must swiftly come out and battle the menace if it wants to guard economical gains of the county. Jiggers are real and everyone must stand up in the war against this. As Brothers Keeper, we have helped some people and our charity has bore fruits because those we have attended to have been.”