The National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNA-Kenya) has reacted to a trending video of a woman attacking a nurse at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia County.
In a statement on January 4, 2024, NNA condemned the attack on the nurse, terming the incident as extreme and uncalled for.
"The National Nurses Association of Kenya condemns in the strongest terms possible the unfortunate attack of a nurse at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia County while in her line of duty. The provocative savage attack to a nurse allegedly by a relative of a politician was heinous, extreme and uncalled for in totality," NNA said.
NNA further identified the attacker as a theatre technician student attached to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTRRH) theatre on rotation.
"We inform our members that the individual involved in the abusive altercation is not a student nurse - Nurses under training are inducted with discipline and professionalism. We have since established that the offender is a Theatre technician student, attached to KUTRRH Theatre on rotation and listed as a student from Nairobi Women Hospital," NNA said.
The umbrella body for nurses further called on regulating authorities to take responsibility and urgently address the matter with the seriousness it deserves
"We call on the regulating authorities for such cadres to take responsibility and urgently address the matter with the seriousness it deserves as we seek remedial measures to mitigate the damage caused to a professional nurse. We are liaising with relevant legal institutions to ensure that the unfortunate debacle is exhaustively addressed."
The student identified as Vanessa Ogema was seen in an undated video harassing hospital staff over what she termed as failure to attend to a patient.
Amid the commotion, Ogema, who caused havoc by throwing files on the floor and hitting a table, was heard telling the nurse that she would call a powerful politician from the area.
