Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award ceremony held in Dubai on International Nurses Day
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airport and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Airlines and Group, presented the winner of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award at an awards ceremony held at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai on 12 May.
Anna Qabale Duba of Marsabit County in Kenya was named the winner of the award, which has a prize pool of $250,000.
The award ceremony was attended by His Excellency Awadh Segayer Al Ketbi, Director General, Dubai Health Authority; His Excellency Dr Amer Sharif, Director General, Dubai Academic Health Corporation and Vice Chancellor, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, along with high ranking ministry officials, government representatives, VIPs, personalities from the UAE and abroad and 600 delegates. The top 10 finalists for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award were announced on April 26. The winner was selected after a public vote, followed by a final Grand Jury assessment. The remaining nine finalists were also awarded a cash prize.
Anna Qabale Duba was the first graduate in her village and the only educated child in her family. She chose education because she realised that illiteracy prevents people from learning new things and changing harmful cultural norms. While studying to become a nurse, she won the Miss Tourism Kenya 2013 contest. She has used her influence to advocate for gender equality and education in her community. Under the auspices of the Qabale Duba Foundation, she built a school in her village where children could study in the morning and adults in the afternoon. The community literacy programme now reaches more than 150 children and 100 adults.
On receiving the award, nurse Anna Qabale Duba said: “I feel extremely happy and privileged to have received this prestigious award. Ever since I heard about the award, I have been keen to apply for it as it provides a platform for nurses from all over the world to be recognised. I am honoured to receive the award from the hands of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. I am truly grateful to the jury and to Aster DM Healthcare for giving me the opportunity to tell my story. I dedicate this award to my patients, family, colleagues and all those who have supported me along the way.”
Dr Azad Moopen, chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, said: “Our heartfelt congratulations to Anna Kabale Duba of Kenya for being the recipient of the first ever Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. Her contribution to the medical community and to the field of nursing has been remarkable and we sincerely hope that her story continues to inspire many.”
“We are extremely pleased to see the impact the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award has had. What started as an initiative to recognise the outstanding contributions of nurses around the world has now evolved into a movement encouraging people to recognise the contributions nurses make to their lives and to society. Ahead of the next edition of the award, we hope that even more nurses will tell their stories and inspire young people to think about long-term and successful nursing careers,” added Dr Azad Moopen. The other nine finalists were Dida Jirma Bulle from Kenya, Frances Michael Fernando from the UK, Jasmine Mohammed Sharaf from the United Arab Emirates, Julia Dorothy Downing from the UK, Linsey Padikala Joseph from India, Manju Dhandapani from India, Matthew James Ball from Australia, Rachel Abraham Joseph from the US and Weiss Mohammad Karani from Afghanistan.
.@HHAhmedBinSaeed honours the winner of the first Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2022. Anna Qabale Duba from Kenya named the winner of the $250,000 Award. https://t.co/GLHn3I7ehR pic.twitter.com/8sQGTZ9Add
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 12, 2022
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