What is a Jigger?
A Jigger is a small pea sized flea found in sandy areas, under warm and dry climates, desert and beaches, dusty farms and homes. This flea hides in floors, walls and furniture.
It infests a place where there are unhygienic and unsanitary dwellings, dusty floors and in unkempt body parts like the fingernails. The most affected parts include feet, toes, knees, hands and fingernails and other body parts.
Anti-Jiggers Campaign
During the period of Ashara Zainabiyyah this year, we conducted an Anti- Jiggers Campaign at two Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya (BMMK) Centres; Burani and Bahakanda. It was a three-day campaign that was mainly targeting those who have been affected by jiggers. BMMK, in partnership with The Jaffery Medical Centre coordinated to execute the program.
We were focused on treating those affected by jiggers, as well as spraying their houses. This was to ensure that we curb the infestation by killing them at the homes, as well as advising the parents of the affected children on what measures to take in order to recover from infection.
We were able to treat 183 patients from the areas of Bahakanda, Burani and Ulongoni. 75 houses were fumigated, including compounds.
Gathering at Bahakanda
The turn up was high and we were able to observe that most of these people required civic education in order to help them recover from this infestation. Most of those who were infected were children ranging from the age 1 year to 14 years. The elderly were also affected although very few in number.
Sis. Zainab, a nurse from Jaffery Medical and Sis.Fatuma, a volunteer nurse from Bahakanda centre assisted to practically conduct the program.
Treatment Without Prevention is Simply Unsustainable
It was a successful program although a lot of follow-up is required in order to have recoveries instead of leaving them after treatment until the following cycle only to find the same people have been re-infected.
The Mission appreciates the generous support and assistance it has received from generous donors and looks forward to your continued support in all our activities in the future.
The Mission also thanks all those involved in this program.
Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya
P.O Box 82508 -80100
Tel: +254 222 9641
Email: admin@kenbilal.org
Web: www.kenbilal.org
Compiled by: Saida Mueni
October 2020.