Vanesa Ogema, the 23-year-old woman who was captured in a viral video causing a fracas and verbally abusing a healthcare provider at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia County, has been arrested.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), while confirming Ogema's arrest on Sunday, January 7, said the suspect will be arraigned in court on Monday, January 8.
Ogema was arrested moments after turning herself in at Busia Police Station on Sunday afternoon.
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She is accused of creating disturbance and damaging property at the hospital.
"23-year-old Vanessa Ogema who was recorded hurling insults to a hospital attendant while disrupting the procedural flow of services at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia has been arrested," DCI said.
Ogema, who has since been identified as a final year student at Nairobi Women's Hospital College, was captured in the video that surfaced on social media last Wednesday harassing the 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.
The Nairobi Women's Hospital College, in a press statement on January 4, 2024, termed Ogema's actions regrettable, adding that the institution had launched an internal investigation into the student's actions.
"It has come to our attention that Vanessa Ogema, a student enrolled in the Theatre Technology program and awaiting graduation, was reported to have caused disruption and harassed medical staff at a hospital in Busia County.
"We strongly condemn the regrettable actions displayed by Vanessa. These actions do not align with our values and standards at NWHC. As an organisation, we are committed to nurturing compassionate and responsible professionals," part of the statement read.
The National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNA-Kenya) also condemned the attack on the nurse, terming the incident as extreme and uncalled for.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha also strongly spoke out against the incident and promised legal action against the perpetrator.
"Acts of violence against our healthcare workers are not only reprehensible but intolerable. Healthcare workers deserve our utmost respect as they are the backbone of our healthcare system. They work tirelessly – sometimes under challenging conditions to ensure the well-being of all citizens across
different hospital levels," the CS said.
"Violence against healthcare workers will not be tolerated and any person culpable of such an act will be apprehended and face the full wrath of the law."
The incident also forced the hospital staff to down their tools on January 5, paralysing normal operations at the facility.
