- The DCI said she will be arraigned on Monday, January 8, to face charges of creating disturbances
- She was arrested after she surrendered after she had been summoned for statement recording.
Image: SCREENGRAB
A woman who was captured on camera allegedly harassing and abusing staff at a hospital in Busia surrendered to the police Sunday.
Police said the woman walked to Busia police station on Sunday at noon.
The DCI said she will be arraigned on Monday, January 8, to face charges of creating disturbances
She was arrested after she surrendered after she had been summoned for statement recording.
This came after those who were allegedly harassed and abused recorded their statements with the police.
Police said she would be processed ahead of the planned arraignment.
The video which went viral, captured a man preparing to attend to a patient, and a woman allegedly using inappropriate language to a female nurse.
In the video, the woman is captured tossing objects from a nurse's desk while allegedly hurling insults.
At one point, she even attempted to confront the nurse, throwing jabs and continuing to disrupt the health worker's workspace by throwing objects.
The woman is captured on camera threatening to call someone while the man also was on a call with another person, requesting their presence at the facility.
“Harakisha ukuje hapa saa hii," she was heard saying on the phone.
This loosely translates to Hurry up and come here right now, we have an emergency here!”
At this moment, the woman and the man looked at the room and realised they were being recorded and left the scene
Reports suggest that the two individuals had brought a person to the facility and demanded immediate attention, even ahead of other patients already waiting for treatment.
When informed that they could not jump the queue, they reportedly caused a disturbance and invoked the name of a government official.
Patients at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia had to be transferred on Friday after nurses went on strike in protest of an incident in which a health worker was assaulted.
The strike by the workers came after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako demanded immediate action against those involved.
“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,” Panyako said.
The ensuing work paralysis prompted families to move their loved ones to nearby health facilities.
Cabinet Secretary for Health Susan Nakhumicha also condemned the assault meted on healthcare workers saying the perpetrator of such acts will face the full force of the law.
The CS said such actions of violence against health providers are intolerable.
She said healthcare workers deserve the utmost respect as they are the backbone of the healthcare system.
"They work tirelessly –sometimes under challenging conditions to ensure the well-being of all citizens across different hospital levels," Nakhumicha stated.
“This recent case of assault on a healthcare worker is not just an attack on an individual; it is an assault on the entire healthcare system and the principles that guide it," she added.
Nakhumicha lauded the move by the healthcare workers at the facility to remain calm despite the attack.
“I want to commend the medic involved for displaying such remarkable composure and professionalism during the incident," she said.
"We cannot understate the importance of maintaining civility while interacting with healthcare workers."