The Ministry of Health has been challenged over its alleged reluctance to invest in anti-jiggers campaigns to combat the menace that has affected thousands of school children in different parts of the country.
Speaking on Wednesday during a treatment exercise of those infected by jiggers in Gesima ward, Clean Health Group Chairman Clinton Ouma urged the government to work closely with Non-Governmental Organizations to effectively deal with the problem.
Ouma said the Ministry of Health had done little to give thousands of victims, majority of them school going children a second chance to focus on their studies.
“We have moved around the country and I can testify that the ministry is doing little to combat these crisis. Many children are dropping out of schools because they can no longer walk properly due to jiggers infection. The government should work with NGOs to save our people,” he said.
He slammed county governments over alleged campaigns to eradicate jiggers and insisted that some campaigns were focused on urban regions and trading centers thus failing to reach people in rural areas.
“It is true that some county governments are doing some good job but unfortunately, they are only focusing on trading centers hence failing to reach the real victims of the menace. This is the time to help our people,” he added.
The exercise will extend to neighbouring Rigoma ward and Gachuba with the chairman revealing that a similar exercise was being carried in Homa Bay and Migori counties.