Anti-jigger eradication campaign is once again on high gear in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Gatundu backyard in Kiambu County.
Yesterday, different stakeholders who are part of a campaign geared towards bringing down jigger menace to zero converged at St Francis Primary in Mangu ward.
Ahadi Kenya CEO Dr Stanley Kamau who is the anti-jigger ambassador together with the proprietor Chania Sauti Mashinani Gladys Chania, led in the awareness campaign attended by tens of pupils from neighboring schools and residents as well.
Chania said the fight to eradicate jiggers must be sustained by openly talking about the menace.
She emphasized there is no shame in talking about such an issue that has affected many within the society and they continue suffering because of fear of ridicule.
“Kiambu is our county and we Love it. Our social issues are not homogenous to us only; that’s why we don’t shy handling them head on,” she said.
Jigger index prepared by Health ministry officials and a local non-governmental agency in 2014 indicated that over three million Kenyans were hard-hit by Jigger infestation.
Of the counties that were hardest hit, Murang’a and Kiambu Counties featured prominently.
In a different study conducted by Kenyatta University seeking to establish relationship between jigger infestation and participation at school by preprimary school and lower primary school children the same year, it was establishd that Gatundu North is among constituencies in Kaimbu County with the highest rate of jigger infestation.
Other entities who were part of the anti-jigger campaign in Gatundu North include: NSSF, Lions International Thika Precious club, Mangu Dispensary, NGAAF, Kenya beauties the 2005.2016,2017 Miss Kenya’s and Africa respectively.