Aster DM Healthcare has announced that the public voting system is now open to choose the winner of the 2023 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. The award ceremony will be held on International Nurses Day, May 12, 2023, in London, where the grand winner will receive a cash prize of $250,000. The top ten finalists for the award have been selected from over 52,000 entries across 202 countries.
Two African nurses, Christine Mawia Samy from Kenya and Wilson Fungameza Gwessa from Tanzania, have been named among the top ten finalists. Wilson’s work at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania helped to reduce neonatal deaths from respiratory problems from 14.1% to 5.9%.
Innovative Solution
Wilson Gwessa Fungameza has achieved remarkable success in reducing neonatal deaths within just five years of working as a nurse. He initially noticed a high number of newborn babies dying at the Muhimbili National Hospital—Mloganzila where he worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). At that time, the hospital did not have respiratory support machines, so Wilson introduced the Improvised Bubble CPAP Device which helped to significantly decrease neonatal deaths from respiratory problems. In addition to his practical accomplishments, Wilson has also authored a book titled ‘Nursing Diagnosis for Academic and Clinical Practice’.
Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, praised the work of the nurses and called for recognition of their efforts. He stated that with over 50,000 nurses vying for the award, the Jury members had a difficult task shortlisting the top ten outstanding nurses. The finalists have all made remarkable contributions to the field of nursing and are deserving of the recognition.
If Wilson Gwessa Fungameza is successful, he will follow in the footsteps of Anna Qabale Duba, who won the award in 2022. Anna has since used her prize money to build a school in her hometown of Turbi, Kenya. The Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award recognizes the hard work and dedication of millions of nurses worldwide who form the core of the healthcare eco-system.
