Abstract:
The study assessed the efficacy of Sodium carbonate in removing jiggers. The 2007 study purposively sampled
27 pupils in class five to eight out of 68 jigger victims at Uuna primary school that had an upper primary pupil
population of 275. The upper primary section was purposively selected because the school offered holiday teaching
for these pupils. The whole school had 762 pupils. Structured questionnaires were administered to the purposively
sampled pupils. Frequencies and percentages were calculated. Approximately 68 (8.9%) of the total student
population at the school were jigger infested for 2 weeks to 4 months. Infestation was higher in class five (11%)
reducing to 1% in class eight with twenty two percent children not wearing shoes. On dissolving 50 gm/litre of
Sodium carbonate in warm water and applying it to the infested feet, 19 (70%) pupils had 100% jigger extraction,
within 15 to 20 minutes. This was the first study showing Sodium carbonate as an effective local chemical alternative
in removing jiggers.
