A family in Nyang'eni village, Sameta Sub-County Kisii County is mourning the death of their
son who succumbed to jigger infestation last weekend.
According to the family of the deceased, George Morara, 21, died after a long battle with jigger infestation.
It is claimed that jiggers had already paralysed his feet and arms through alleged excessive sucking of blood.
Linet Kwamboka the deceased's aunt told this writer that, the boy who dropped out of a local primary school due to jigger infestation had been overwhelmed by the fleas which led to his death.
"The deceased has been under my care since her mother who happens to be my sister-in law passed on two years ago,” says Kwamboka a widower.
Kwamboka regretted that, though she took it upon herself to ensure the deceased survived from the dangers of the fleas she did not succeed.
“The other family members left the responsibility to me and since i am a woman I could not reprimand him to observe personal hygiene to avert spread of the dreaded fleas which have now claimed his life,” notes Kwamboka.
She called on local communities and community health workers in the area to intensify the war against jiggers to save lives of those infested by the fleas.
Her sentiments were supported by a local community health worker, Josephine Gideon, who called on local communities to volunteer information on those affected by fleas in their area.
Josephine warned local communities against blaming witchcraft for jigger infestation of their family members.
Instead she challenged them to observe personal and public hygiene at household levels to control the spread of the jigger-causing fleas.