Kenyan Nurse in UK Hailed as Hero for Reviving Colleague During Shift, But Sparks Debate on NHS Exploitation of Migrant Workers

Country: United Kingdom
Date Published: November 28, 2025

In a heartwarming yet contentious story captivating Kenya's diaspora communities on X (formerly Twitter), a Kenyan nurse working in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) has gone viral after heroically saving a colleague's life during a grueling night shift. Mercyline Wanjiku, a 32-year-old registered nurse from Nairobi now based in Manchester, shared a 45-second video clip on November 28, 2025, showing her performing CPR on her coworker who had collapsed from exhaustion in a hospital corridor. The post, timestamped at 2:17 AM GMT, quickly amassed over 250,000 views, 15,000 likes, and thousands of retweets within hours, drawing praise from users across the globe but also igniting fierce discussions about the toll on migrant healthcare workers.

Wanjiku's tweet read: "Just saved my colleague's life after she collapsed from back-to-back 12-hour shifts. No breaks, understaffed wards. This is NHS reality for us migrant nurses. Grateful to God, but when will it change? #KenyanDiaspora #NHSHeroes #MigrantWorkers." The video captured the chaotic scene: Wanjiku dropping to her knees, initiating chest compressions with precise rhythm while shouting for help, as colleagues rushed in with a defibrillator. Her coworker, identified only as Sarah (a British nurse), was later stabilized and transferred to intensive care, where she is recovering from severe fatigue-induced cardiac arrest. Verified NHS accounts, including @NHSEngland, retweeted the clip with a statement commending Wanjiku's "exemplary quick thinking," while Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust confirmed the incident and announced an internal review of staffing levels.

The story exploded on X, trending under #KenyanNurseHero and #SaveOurNHS in Kenya-related discussions. Influencers like @CitiZenTVKenya (a major Kenyan news handle with 1.2M followers) amplified it, posting: "From Kenya to UK: Nurse Mercyline saves life amid NHS crisis. Pride of the diaspora! 🇰🇪❤️ #KenyansAbroad." Positive reactions poured in from regular users, with Kenyans in the UK sharing similar success tales—one thread by @DiasporaHubKE highlighted over 20 Kenyan nurses who had received commendations in the past year. Celebrities joined in; musician Sauti Sol's Bien tweeted: "Mercyline is the real MVP. Kenyan excellence shining abroad!" Hashtags like #ProudlyKenyan trended, with users posting memes of Wanjiku as a superhero and calls for her to receive official recognition, such as the George Cross award for bravery.

However, the viral moment wasn't without controversy. Beneath the applause, a wave of critical replies exposed deeper frustrations among the Kenyan diaspora. Users accused the NHS of exploiting migrant workers, particularly from Kenya, who make up a significant portion of the UK's nursing staff—over 10,000 Kenyans according to recent Home Office data cited in threads. @UKKenyansForum, a verified diaspora group, launched a thread with 50+ replies: "Hero worship is nice, but Mercyline earns £28k/year while collapsing from burnout. British nurses get better pay & conditions. Time to unionize! #EndNHSExploitation." Replies included screenshots of pay disparities, with Kenyan nurses starting at Band 5 (£29,970) versus locals' faster promotions, and horror stories of 60-hour weeks without overtime. One viral reply from @NurseKenyaUK (12K followers): "I trained in Kenya, paid agency fees to come here, now treated like disposable. Mercyline's story is inspiration but also warning. #MigrantNursesMatter."

Prominent Kenyan X users fueled the debate. Activist Boniface Mwangi retweeted: "UK loves our nurses when they save lives, but hates paying them fairly. Diaspora remittances built Kenya—stop the abuse!" A counter-thread by @BritishKenyans praised NHS opportunities, noting remittances from UK-based Kenyans hit £500M last year, but even positives acknowledged challenges like racism and visa pressures post-Brexit. News accounts like @BBCNewsAfrica picked it up by midday, linking to a Guardian article on migrant worker shortages. Discussions extended to trending topics like #KenyansInUK, where users debated whether Wanjiku's heroism could spark policy change, with petitions circulating for better migrant protections.

Wanjiku followed up with a thread detailing her journey: Arriving in the UK in 2022 on a health worker visa after nursing school in Eldoret, she remits £800 monthly to her family amid Kenya's economic woes. "Proud Kenyan saving lives, but we need fair treatment," she wrote. As of December 2, 2025, the post had surpassed 1M views, symbolizing both the triumphs and tribulations of Kenyans abroad. While UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting promised a staffing review in response to X pressure, diaspora voices demand more—fair wages, mental health support, and an end to what they call "modern slavery in scrubs." Mercyline's story underscores the double-edged sword of the Kenyan dream overseas: glory in crises, grit in the grind.

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