DPP Orders Arrest of Man Caught on Tape Harassing Busia Hospital Staff
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered the arrest and prosecution of a male suspect caught on tape harassing Busia hospital staff.
The unidentified male had accompanied Vanessa Ogema to Port Victoria Hospital on January 3 when the incident occured.
Ms Ogema was on Monday arraigned and charged with assault, causing malicious damage to property and issuing threats of injury to persons employed in the public service.
She was arraigned before Port Victoria law court where she denied the charges and was released on bond of Sh200,000 with surety of similar amount, without an option for cash bail.
She surrendered to the police on Sunday.
Read: Woman in Busia Hospital Drama Arraigned, Released on Sh200,000 Bond
This came after being summoned for statement recording.
The woman was seen causing chaos by throwing files on the floor and hitting a table while shouting at the hospital staff and threatening to call Sports CS Ababu Namwamba.
When the issue went public, it caused anger forcing the CS to issue a statement to distance himself from the same.
The matter agitated members of the public. Normal operations at the Port Victoria sub-county hospital in Busia County were on Friday January 5 paralyzed as nurses went on strike protesting the attack.
Families were forced to transfer their patients to other hospitals as the nurses downed their tools to protest the January 2, 2024 incident where Ogema and her colleague demanded swift delivery of healthcare services for their relative.
Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako condemned the incident.
Read Also: Woman Captured Harassing Staff in Busia Hospital Surrenders to Police
The nurses’ body demanded stern action taken against the two people who are seen on recorded video harassing the worker.
Busia County government said in a statement hospital property was destroyed in the process, including an oxygen concentrator.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha too condemned the incident and added the perpetrators of such acts will face the full force of the law.
“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,” she said.