New national awards set to celebrate nurses and midwives

A new national recognition initiative has been launched to honour Kenya’s frontline health workers.

The Nurse of the Year Awards (NOYA) seeks to celebrate excellence in nursing and midwifery across the country.

The launch, which coincided with International Nurses Week 2026, was described as a landmark moment for the nursing profession, bringing renewed focus to the role of nurses as central figures in Kenya’s healthcare system.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the awards represent more than symbolic recognition, calling them a national commitment to honouring service, dedication, and leadership within the profession.

“Nurses and midwives are far more than a cadre within our health workforce. You are the human face of healthcare. You are the constant presence in moments of fear, uncertainty, healing and hope,” Duale said.

“This scheme is not merely ceremonial; it is deeply symbolic. It is a national commitment to recognising excellence, celebrating service and elevating role models within the profession."

The International Nurses Week 2026 theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” and “The Power of Nurses,” underscores the growing global recognition of the profession’s critical role in strengthening health systems.

For decades, nurses and midwives have formed the backbone of healthcare delivery in Kenya, often serving as the first point of contact for patients in rural and urban settings. 

According to health sector data, nurses manage approximately 75 per cent of Level 2 and Level 3 health facilities, making them essential in delivering services such as maternal health, immunisation, disease prevention and primary care.

Anthony Gitau, the director Global Community Impact for Sub-Saharan Africa at Johnson and Johnson highlighted that it is impossible to connect communities to healthcare without nurses.

He said in most times, nurses are the first and also in other instances the only health workers that the populace will meet, and from who they seek care.

“When we are at our weakest, when we cannot speak, when we can’t do anything, it is the nurses who stand with us,” Gitau said.

He emphasised that because if the roles they play in the society, nurses need to be valued.

“We must first make sure that nurses value themselves. Then we can move to make patients that they serve value them, the ministries that they work value them, and most importantly the community is able to value and stand with them,” Gitau said.

The NOYA launch brought together nurses, midwives, health sector leaders, county officials, development partners, training institutions and professional associations in a broad show of support for the initiative.

Held under the theme “Our Nurses. Our Midwives. Our Future – Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” the event also highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the profession and improving healthcare delivery.

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the government is undertaking key reforms to enhance training, working conditions and career development for nurses.

“The Ministry is actively implementing key reforms across several priority areas. We are working to expand and improve nursing training and professional development, to enhance working conditions and ensure safe environments for practice, to create clear and merit-based pathways for career progression and leadership, to integrate digital health competencies into nursing education and service delivery, and to improve the absorption and retention of qualified nurses within our public health system,” she said.

Organisers said the awards have been structured to reflect the diversity of the nursing profession, with categories recognising excellence in clinical practice, leadership, primary healthcare, education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

They noted that the initiative is intended not only to reward outstanding performance but also to strengthen mentorship, motivation, and professional pride among nurses and midwives, especially those entering the field.

Beyond recognition, stakeholders said NOYA is expected to elevate the visibility of nursing as a profession and reinforce its central role in Kenya’s ongoing healthcare transformation agenda.

As nominations officially open, health sector actors have urged nurses across the country to participate, with expectations that the awards will become a key annual platform for celebrating excellence and inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals.