Busia paralysis nurse innocent, union

The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and the Nurses Association of Kenya (NAK) have exonerated a Busia nurse for the Akichelesit Dispensary paralysis in Teso North and instead blamed the County Government of Busia for vilifying her over its inadequacies.

Speaking in Busia on Sunday where they released a fact finding report on the issue, KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako and his NAK counterpart Winnie Shena said the county Government of Busia should take responsibility in the case where more than 30 children have been paralyzed saying that it (county government) failed to monitor, regulate and run the medical facilities which are legally under them.

Mr. Panyako said the union empathizes with the affected parents and children and urged the county government to take full responsibility and ensure that the children are provided with the best medical care to facilitate speedy recovery.

He dismissed allegations that the nurse who was suspended was to blame.

On her part, Ms. Winnie Shena said Kenyan nurses are ranked the best in provision of nursing services and their services are sought after globally.

She alleged that the paralyzed children were injected by an unqualified personnel masquerading as a health care professional hailing from the same village.

The officials pointed out that the nursing officer in charge of the dispensary had earlier informed her two junior nurses that one support staff was stealing drugs from the dispensary.

They added that the nurse was mandated by the officer in charge to convene a meeting with all the support staff and inform them of the findings over missing drugs at the facility and a suspect consequently warned.

The team, however, decried the media coverage on the issue saying that it was tainting the image of nurses nationally who act professionally.