Jigger infestation menace has been blamed for driving many children out of schools in Riana Ward, Kisii County.
Ms Mary Otara, the women representative for Kisii County, has lamented that if unchecked jigger infestation menace will affect many brilliant children from poor families. This, she said, may make them drop out of school due to social stigma from their peers in school.
Speaking at Etureti DOK Primary School in Riana Ward of Bonchari sub-County when she launched an anti-jiggers campaign, Otara lamented that local communities continued looking at jigger menace as a disease of the less fortunate in the society. She, however, noted that it continued posing a serious challenge to access and attainment of quality basic education among children in the country.
"Today we have treated about 100 school children from jigger infestation from this school alone. Think of the jigger infestation menace affecting school children in the villages, especially orphans and other vulnerable children who do not have anybody coming to their aid," stated Otara.
Partnering with Ahadi Kenya Trust in the fight against jiggers in the area, Otara challenged local community members to take the fight against jigger infestation seriously and assess the damage it causes the community and the county in terms of socio-economic development.
Having children suffering from jigger infestation, Otara observed, compromised their concentration and performance in school much to the detriment of their school's performance in national examinations.