Normal activities at Port Victoria sub-county hospital in Busia County were disrupted on Friday when nurses went on strike to protest an assault on a healthcare worker that occurred on January 2, 2024.
The incident, where two individuals demanded immediate healthcare services for their relatives, prompted families to move their patients to other hospitals.
Seth Panyako, the Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Nurses, declared, “There is no work going on here until we’re assured of the security of healthcare workers.
And if that does not happen in the shortest time possible, we will withdraw all healthcare workers in Busia County government within 48 hours.”
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The union disclosed that the healthcare worker in the video had provided a statement to the police.
They are now calling for strong action against the two individuals seen harassing the worker, identified as Vanessa Ogema, a theatre technology student, and an unidentified male.
In a statement, the Busia County government reported that hospital property, including an oxygen concentrator, was damaged during the incident.
Despite the video going viral on social media, Vanessa Ogema and her associate remain at large, with the police currently tracking them down, suspecting they fled to Nairobi.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha condemned the incident, emphasizing that those responsible will face legal consequences.
She stated, “Acts of violence against our healthcare workers are not only reprehensible but intolerable.”
The Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral, and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) also denounced Vanessa Ogema’s actions, expressing concern that her behavior violated the institution’s core values.
KUTRRH Board of Directors Chairperson Prof.
Olive Mugenda emphasized that they would decide on the appropriate course of action once full details of the incident are obtained.
