Kitale nurse in viral video dancing for sick child speaks out

The video of a nursing student christened 'the dancing nurse' where she is captured entertaining a toddler admitted at the Kitale Teaching and Referral Hospital has taken the internet by storm.

The 22-year-old identified as Lukresia Robai has warmed the hearts of Kenyans and boosted the reputation of health practitioners who are often on the receiving end of scathing criticism from society for gaps in service delivery.

By Tuesday afternoon, the video posted on her Tik Tok account had garnered about a million views and hundreds of comments.

In the short video clip, the toddler can be heard giggling in the background and though immobilized, the unidentified happy toddler is valiantly trying to imitate Lukresia’s dance moves.

Lukresia says she noticed during her ward rounds that the boy admitted with a fractured leg was in low spirits and she instantly put on her dancing shoes and sway away to ‘’Baby Shark Do Do Do’’ – a popular song with toddlers

“I am passionate about dancing, it is inborn. It feels nice to be part of that society or culture that promotes wonderful things in this life. Especially when I’m giving medications, because hao ni watoto, I go to them with some kind of movement that is able to fascinate them,” Lukresia said.

Betty Naliaka, Lukresia's supervisor, lauds the nurse for her kind gestures and competency in the period of her training.

“Rubai is a good student. When we give her a task we are sure she will complete it. Whenever she has a challenge she is one student who will ask questions and cooperates with staff. With her the future of nursing is bright,” Naliaka says.

In a world where healthcare providers are constantly being bashed for mishandling patients and making their hospital visits distasteful and unnecessarily difficult, Lukresia says nursing has been a lifelong passion and she always wanted to take care of people and alleviate their suffering.

“It is something I always wanted to do. It came from within. Since I was a child l always desired to become a medical practitioner. I desired to take care of the sick, I never thought of any other career… I think it was inborn,” she said.

Lukresia is an orphan who says her education journey has been a roller coaster, and she has only come this far because of bursaries and sponsorships. She takes her chosen career path very seriously, almost sacred.

“It feels nice to be part and parcel of people’s life. When you venture into medicine you are dealing with people’s health, you become a co-creator with God you have to take care of the sick and you have to be very careful because you are dealing with life,” she added.

Naliaka similarly notes that Lukresia’s dancing helps the suffering patients to recover.

“What Rubai is doing is her form of healing process… we could see the boy was like he also wanted to join in. It also helps in the healing process of the patient,” Naliaka stated.

Trans Nzoia County government has undertaken to pay the reminder of her school fees for the five months she has remaining on her course and has assured her that she will be posted in the same hospital where she lovingly dances to her patients., a dream come true for the 22-year-old