“We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya
Non-governmental organizations (national and international) are important actors in addressing health issues in Kenya. Sandflea/jigger infections (tungiasis) are a public health challenge that severely affect children, older adults, and other vulnerable people in poor communities worldwide. In Kenya...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Societies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/2/28 |
| _version_ | 1797296922757693440 |
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| author | Åse Walle Mørkve Jackline Sitienei Graziella Van den Bergh |
| author_facet | Åse Walle Mørkve Jackline Sitienei Graziella Van den Bergh |
| author_sort | Åse Walle Mørkve |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Non-governmental organizations (national and international) are important actors in addressing health issues in Kenya. Sandflea/jigger infections (tungiasis) are a public health challenge that severely affect children, older adults, and other vulnerable people in poor communities worldwide. In Kenya, NGOs have been involved in sandflea eradication for more than twenty years. Without treatment, the flea may cause debilitating infections and sores, resulting in difficulties with walking and grasping, as well as social harassment. This paper aims to shed light on health workers’ and volunteers’ perceptions of the government and civil society’s role in fighting jigger infections. Data were collected through a qualitative case study design, with a three-month fieldwork including participation in mobile jigger removal programs, 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews, informal talks, and observations, in five villages in Bungoma County. The thematic analysis of the data resulted in three recurring themes: (1) the NGO-driven jigger program as a (fragile) resource for local communities, (2) the need for more consistent collaboration between NGOs and public health services, and (3) the local perceptions of the governments’ responsibilities in combatting the plague. The findings imply that the 10-year-old national policy guidelines on the prevention and control of jigger infestations need to be updated; this includes the coordination of the public and private actors’ roles, the incorporation of lessons learned, and the need for a multisectoral One Health approach to combat the jigger menace in the country. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:13:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3002f8aa28ce4c5fb28ebee51ed940a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:13:47Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj.art-3002f8aa28ce4c5fb28ebee51ed940a72024-02-23T15:34:30ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982024-02-011422810.3390/soc14020028“We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, KenyaÅse Walle Mørkve0Jackline Sitienei1Graziella Van den Bergh2Department of Intercultural Studies, NLA University College, 5812 Bergen, NorwayDepartment of Health Policy Management and Human Nutrition, Moi University, Eldoret 30100, KenyaDepartment of Health and Functioning, Section for Global Health and Rehabilitation, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 5020 Bergen, NorwayNon-governmental organizations (national and international) are important actors in addressing health issues in Kenya. Sandflea/jigger infections (tungiasis) are a public health challenge that severely affect children, older adults, and other vulnerable people in poor communities worldwide. In Kenya, NGOs have been involved in sandflea eradication for more than twenty years. Without treatment, the flea may cause debilitating infections and sores, resulting in difficulties with walking and grasping, as well as social harassment. This paper aims to shed light on health workers’ and volunteers’ perceptions of the government and civil society’s role in fighting jigger infections. Data were collected through a qualitative case study design, with a three-month fieldwork including participation in mobile jigger removal programs, 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews, informal talks, and observations, in five villages in Bungoma County. The thematic analysis of the data resulted in three recurring themes: (1) the NGO-driven jigger program as a (fragile) resource for local communities, (2) the need for more consistent collaboration between NGOs and public health services, and (3) the local perceptions of the governments’ responsibilities in combatting the plague. The findings imply that the 10-year-old national policy guidelines on the prevention and control of jigger infestations need to be updated; this includes the coordination of the public and private actors’ roles, the incorporation of lessons learned, and the need for a multisectoral One Health approach to combat the jigger menace in the country.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/2/28sandfleasjiggertungiasisnon-governmental organizationsKenyapublic health |
| spellingShingle | Åse Walle Mørkve Jackline Sitienei Graziella Van den Bergh “We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya Societies sandfleas jigger tungiasis non-governmental organizations Kenya public health |
| title | “We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya |
| title_full | “We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya |
| title_fullStr | “We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | “We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya |
| title_short | “We Are Just Supposed to Be an NGO Helping”: A Qualitative Case Study of Health Workers’ and Volunteers’ Perceptions of the Government and Civil Society’s Role in Fighting Jiggers in Bungoma County, Kenya |
| title_sort | we are just supposed to be an ngo helping a qualitative case study of health workers and volunteers perceptions of the government and civil society s role in fighting jiggers in bungoma county kenya |
| topic | sandfleas jigger tungiasis non-governmental organizations Kenya public health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/2/28 |
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