In January 2015 we treated 67 children, 2 women and 7 men. We donated 62 pots of after-care vaseline, 48 bottles of Jigger treatment drugs. As a prevention we smeared 9 houses, help to educate the households about hygiene and prevention and also created two gardens for food plantation.
Every week our team goes out to the infested communities and removes dozens and dozens of worms. We also give clear education to the communities about the importance of hygiene and jigger prevention and removal.
The Jigger - Chigoe flea is described as a hidden African killer.
Whisper's jigger program was the subject of an article in one of Uganda's leading newspapers, New Vision. You can read the article in their online archive here: https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/642026-whisper-resuscitates-hope-for-children-in-jigger-infested-communities.html
What is a Chigoe flea?
A jigger is a 1mm long flea. It lives in dirty conditions, such as soil and sand. It feeds on warm blooded hosts. When the female is breeding she burrows into exposed skin on the feet where she starts to incubate eggs. During the incubation, the skin swells dramatically, causing pain and irritation. If the flea is left within the skin, secondary infections can occur, along with loss of nails and toe deformation. When not treated the eggs develop and can spread to other parts of the feet, hands, arms and any part of the body.
Some children also die of jiggers. When the wounds are not cared for and the jiggers are left to spread, it can lead to more serious blood infections such as meningitis that cause death as often there is no urgency in treatment.
