Strong beliefs in witchcraft could have frustrated the elimination of jiggers in some parts of Kenya, yet effective treatment exists.
A study in Western Kenya shows many parents shun medical treatment of their affected children, and instead chose traditional methods, which are not effective.
“The number of people who felt that tungiasis (jiggers) is a curse was surprisingly high and even those who associated it with witchcraft were equally many,” says a study by Charles Omeny, a public health official in Butula, Busia county.
The study, which has not been published in a referred journal yet, was presented at the national neglected tropical diseases conference in Nairobi.
More than 2.6 million rural Kenyan are infected with jiggers, mostly in Busia, Nyeri, Murang’a and Kwale counties.
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Omeny said 350 people from Butula subcounty were interviewed in late 2015 to assess the status of knowledge, attitude and practices on jigger infestation.
Sixty per cent of the people did not view jiggers as a normal infection that can be treated, but associated it with curses and witchcraft.
“Goodwill seems to be lacking in the prevention and control of the jigger menace. All the concerned duty bearers should step in to provide the goodwill in order to realise a sound prevention and control of the menace,” he said.
Jigger infestation is caused by an impregnated female sand flea called tunga penetrans which burrows into various parts of the body and lays eggs there, causing pus-filled sores.
It mostly spreads through poor hygiene and Busia county is leading in infestation, according to the anti-jigger lobby Ahadi Kenya.
A separate study presented at the NTDs conference showed the parasites can easily be eliminated through better hygiene and treatment. In the Kilifi study, jigger victims were treated with a neem-based oil to kill embedded fleas.
