Kenyan Nurse in UK Celebrated for Saving Baby's Life Amid NHS Crisis Backlash

Country: United Kingdom
Date Published: November 28, 2025

In a heartwarming story that's captured the attention of Kenyans worldwide, Mercy Wanjiku, a Kenyan nurse working in London's bustling NHS hospitals, has been hailed as a hero after single-handedly saving a newborn's life during a chaotic shift. Viral videos and posts on X (formerly Twitter) shared by colleagues and patients show Wanjiku performing emergency CPR on the infant, who had stopped breathing due to complications during delivery. The incident, which occurred last week, exploded across Kenyan diaspora accounts, with users like @UKKenyansHub (a verified community page with 45K followers) posting: "Our sister Mercy from Kiambu is out here saving British lives while our govt back home forgets us. Proud of her! #KenyanHeroesAbroad" garnering over 12K likes and 3K retweets by Thursday.

The story broke wide open on November 28 when major Kenyan influencers, including comedian Crazy Kennar (@CrazyKennar, verified with 1.2M followers), amplified it in a thread detailing Wanjiku's journey from rural Kenya to the UK on a nursing scholarship five years ago. "From Nyeri to NHS frontline—Mercy didn't just save a baby, she's saving the NHS one shift at a time," Kennar wrote, sparking discussions on the vital role of Kenyan healthcare workers abroad. Regular users chimed in with personal testimonies, like @DiasporaDocKE sharing, "My cousin in Manchester does the same. We send billions in remittances but get zero recognition. Shoutout Mercy! 🇰🇪❤️," which racked up 8K engagements. News accounts such as @CitiZenTVKE reposted hospital footage, confirming the baby's full recovery and Wanjiku receiving a commendation from hospital administrators.

However, the celebration hasn't been without controversy. Amid the praise, X erupted with criticism of the UK's NHS, where Kenyan nurses like Wanjiku face grueling 12-hour shifts, burnout, and pay disputes exacerbated by ongoing strikes. Threads from @KenyanNursesUK (a group with 20K followers) highlighted the darker side: "Mercy is exceptional, but we're exploited. Low pay, racism, no visas for families—why do we leave Kenya for this? #NHSStrike #KenyansAbroad." One viral post by user @MremboInLondon accused the system of "using African labor while Brexit bites," drawing fiery debates with over 5K replies, including counterarguments from pro-UK expats defending the opportunities. This mix of adulation and outrage underscores the dual realities for Kenya's 3 million-plus diaspora, who remit over $4 billion annually to support families back home.

As the story trends under #MercyTheHero and #KenyansInUK, Wanjiku herself responded modestly via a video shared by @StandardKenya: "I'm just doing my job. Kenya taught me resilience." Kenyan MPs abroad, like diaspora representative John Kiarie, called for better protections in a quoted tweet, fueling calls for government intervention. With X discussions surpassing 50K mentions in 48 hours, Wanjiku's feat not only spotlights individual triumph but reignites broader conversations on migration, labor rights, and the unsung contributions of Kenyans powering foreign healthcare systems.