West Pokot Nurse Wins Global Nursing Award
The award ceremony took place at the University of Turku in Finland. During the 2025 edition, Kanyang’areng won the award together with Marianne Olander
His desire to pursue nursing was inspired by a painful experience in childhood. He nearly died as a child because of visceral leishmaniasis. Photo/DNDI
By Juliet Jerotich
West Pokot County nurse becomes a history maker. Luke Kanyang’areng becomes the first Kenyan to receive the highly coveted Human Rights and Nursing Award. He was honored for his dedication to protecting patients’ rights and improving access to care for vulnerable communities.
The award ceremony took place at the University of Turku in Finland. During the 2025 edition, Kanyang’areng won the award together with Marianne Olander, another outstanding nurse. The award that is annually awarded by the Nursing Ethics journal to two nurses rewards nurses who have been exceptional in their commitment to human rights.
Ever since its establishment in 2001, the award has been given to nurses who offer better than common care. The award recognizes commitment in teaching, innovation, and advocacy in the health industry. For Kanyang’areng, the award marks the culmination of over 20 years of community and nursing health service.
During his acceptance speech, he thanked and called the award an encouragement to work even harder. “This award gives me strength to keep raising awareness and improving healthcare access for neglected diseases,” he said.
His desire to pursue nursing was inspired by a painful experience in childhood. He nearly died as a child because of visceral leishmaniasis, otherwise known as kala-azar. The condition is one of the most lethal parasitic diseases after malaria.
He recalled being prescribed a 30-day regimen of therapy and weeks of agonizing convalescence. It was an ordeal that prompted him to take up nursing. Decades later, he returned to the same hospital as a nurse where his own life was saved.
“I wanted to know how to take care of the vulnerable. I dedicated my life so that others would not endure what I did. Every patient I see makes me realize that I survived,” he said.
Kanyang’areng also desires to expand his outreach work. He would like to use weekends to go to rural areas, providing health talks and spreading awareness on neglected tropical diseases, especially kala-azar.
His story is one of perseverance, service, and hope. He has placed Kenya on the global stage of excellence in nursing with his victory, and encourages others to fight for human rights through health.
About Author
