Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has condemned what she says are instances of assault targeted at healthcare workers.
Speaking in the wake of an incident recorded on video and shared widely across social media platforms, where a healthcare provider at Port Victoria Sub County Hospital in Busia is seen to be verbally and physically assaulted by a member of the public, Nakhumicha said perpetrators of such acts will face the full force of the law.
“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 guides it. Assaulting a healthcare worker not only endanger their lives but also disrupt the vital services they provide to other patients and the community.” Observed the health CS.
According to Nakhumicha, acts of violence against 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.
This even as she commended the healthcare worker captured in the incident for remaining calm and composed, urging healthcare seekers to maintain civility whilst interacting with healthcare workers.
“I want to commend the medic involved for displaying such remarkable composure and professionalism during the incident. We cannot understate the importance of maintaining civility while interacting with healthcare workers. They are our frontline heroes who work under high-demanding environments to deliver standard healthcare services to patients from all walks of life. To have this dedication met with violence is disheartening and erodes the fabric of our healthcare infrastructure.” She added.
She said the government remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of healthcare professionals across the country.
“Going forward and considering this incident, I call for mutually respectful engagements between members of the public and healthcare givers as we continue to build and maintain a robust health system,” she said.
The latest incident has elicited debate across social media platforms with users ventilating on the episode with a definite sense of disdain.
A recently published study by researchers from, among other institutions, Aga Khan University titled Violence Against Healthcare Workers: found that approximately half of healthcare workers in Kenya reported experiencing violence; with the most common forms of violence being verbal and emotional abuse, with a small percentage reporting online harassment.
The study which sampled 1,458 healthcare workers in Kenya found that approximately half (49.9%) reported experiencing violence, with verbal violence (80.6%) and emotional abuse (78.6%) being the most common.
