Residents of some villages in Bokoli ward in Webuye West Sub County among them Lumonye, Matisi, Miendo, Chebini had a privilege to receive free anti jigger treatment from Bungoma youth group known as Bungoma Youth Agenda in conjunction with Red Cross Bungoma as a way of giving back to the community.
Speaking to media at Lumonye Friends Secondary school where the campaign was done Bungoma Youth Agenda secretary general Ignatius Nyukuri said the campaign is aimed at eradicating jiggers in several homes after realizing that many people in Bokoli ward and the entire county have been infected and affected by jiggers and for a long time have not received any medication and therefore there was need for them to chip in and support the community.
He added that the initiative is non-political and debunked rumors going around that they are a political movement being sponsored by a certain political faction but reaffirmed that their main aim is to help the community through various projects and psycho- social support geared towards improving the life standards of the Bungoma people.
He added that through the anti- jigger campaign they have learned that many people are suffering as jiggers have affected them up to some private parts and caused fear thus could not turn up for treatment but he insisted that they have a plan of visiting every home infected by jiggers and make sure that they receive medication in order to fight jigger menace but assured them that the medication used is modern and therefore does not cause any pain.
He appealed to those affected to come out in large numbers and receive treatment adding that they have also planned to do fumigation in every home affected by jiggers to curb the spread and confirmed that the exercise will be done in the entire county in all forty five wards and asked those who share their dreams to join them in the noble journey.
His sentiments were echoed by Eddy Omumaraki who said the initiative is set to help many households in the entire county and asked leaders to join them instead of waiting for political period to use them and only to dumb them later and added that the exercise has made many youths busy, therefore are not idle to engage in activities that may ruin their lives.
He called on county leadership through the Ministry of Health and the County Assembly at large to set aside some funds to support the anti- jigger campaigns, saying it has affected many in the society as some can’t walk or even work to support their families and have also brought about other diseases.
On his part, Mr. Boventure Wakhungu who works with Kenya Red Cross Bungoma branch as head of community service said lack of hygiene is part of the cause of the jigger attraction in different infected homes and encouraged Bungoma residents to make sure that they maintain hygiene at all times especially in the houses and those who live in mud houses should fumigate every time especially under the beds and in dark corners which are breeding places for jiggers.
