Villagers from Boigesa village, Giasaiga Sub-location in Kisii County have been challenged to embrace public hygiene at their homesteads to avert jigger infestation.
Beatrice Sarota and Josephine Gideon, community health workers in the area, have raised concern over increasing cases of jigger infestation affecting both school children and elderly people in the local villages.
Speaking to this writer at Nyakegogi shopping Centre after their field need assessment exercise, the health workers reminded local villagers the need to embrace public hygiene to avert falling prey to the fleas.
“It is interesting that there is a public perception that jiggers do not exist in our local communities, yet it is a menace that is affecting out people, especially children and the elderly who live in unhygienic environments,” stated Josephine.
She challenged local community members to smear their muddy-walled and earthen floor houses, which provided conducive breeding ground for the jigger-causing fleas.
“Staying in dirty and poorly maintained muddy-walled and earthen floor houses provided conducive breeding environment for the jigger-causing fleas. Let everybody embrace both personal body and public hygiene in their households to avert spread of the jiggers which have become a menace across the country,” added Sarota.