Vanessa Ogema, the woman caught in a viral video physically and verbally abusing nurses at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia, surrendered to authorities at Busia police station, accompanied by her lawyer, Leonard Okanda.
The 23-year-old medical student, covering her face with a mask and hood, took responsibility for her actions and offered an apology to the nurses affected by her aggression.
Through her lawyer, Ogema expressed remorse and urged the nurses, who had downed their tools in response to the incident, to return to work.
The surrender comes after widespread public condemnation of the incident, which occurred on January 3, 2023, and was captured on video, causing a social media uproar.
The Busia County government, in a statement, highlighted the destruction of hospital property, including an oxygen concentrator, during the altercation.
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The incident prompted members of the public to call for appropriate action against Ogema.
Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General, Davji Atellah, condemned the attack, emphasising the need for legal action.
"This is rudimentary, illegal, and immoral. The attitude and action by politicians and their cronies to threaten healthcare workers at their place of work should be curtailed," he stated.
"The safety of healthcare workers is threatened in such facilities. The perpetrators of this heinous act should be brought to book urgently," Atellah added.
The hospital staff, deeply affected by the incident, downed their tools on January 5, forcing families to transfer their patients to other facilities.
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Health Cabient Secrtary Susan Nakhumicha strongly condemned the assault and emphasized that perpetrators of such acts would face the full force of the law.
The CS stressed that acts of violence against healthcare workers are not only reprehensible but intolerable.