ACCRA, May 26 — Ghana’s Naomi Oyoe Ohene Oti on Monday won the 2025 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, beating more than 100,000 nurses from 199 countries, according to a release by the organizers.
Oti, who is the head of nursing at the National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, received the prestigious 250,000-dollar prize at a grand ceremony held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), early Monday.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence of the UAE, presented the award to the winner, describing the awards as a distinguished platform that honors one of the noblest and most impactful professions in human history.
“Nurses are the first in the line of defense in any healthcare system. They provide care, comfort, and hope in the most critical moments and embody the highest ideals of humanity through their compassion and selfless service,” Al Nahyan noted.
On her part, Oti described her award as a deeply humbling moment in her life.
“This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to every nurse across Ghana, Africa, and the world, who leads with resilience, compassion, and courage,” she said.
Over two decades, Oti had witnessed the inequities in cancer care firsthand and dedicated herself to closing these gaps through training, outreach, and system-level change.
“This award will help amplify our impact, scaling training, building faculty, and inspiring the next generation of oncology nurses across Africa. At the heart of my journey is a simple truth: nursing is not just a profession but a force for social justice, equity, and hope,” Oti emphasized.
She added, “Today, I stand not just for myself, but for every African nurse who dares to innovate and serve, even against the odds.”
“To every nurse listening, your hands heal, your voice advocates, and your heart leaps. Together, we are shaping the future, one patient, one moment, and one act of courage at a time. Thank you very much. May God richly bless you all,” she added.
At her KBTH, Oti led the transformation of patient care, pioneered specialist nurse training, and championed equity in cancer outcomes, said the release.
She has been instrumental in developing and launching oncology nursing training programs in partnership with international centers like the Cross Cancer Institute in Canada, bringing world-class cancer education to local nurses in Ghana and significantly improving patient outcomes, the release added.
Launched in 2021 by Aster DM Healthcare, the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award aims to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of nurses across the world in various fields such as leadership, research, innovation, and community service.