Ghanaian oncology nurse specialist, Ms. Naomi Oyoe Ohene Oti, has been honored with the prestigious Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2025, recognizing her exceptional contributions to cancer care and nursing education across Ghana and Africa.
The award, accompanied by a substantial $250,000 cash prize, was presented at a grand ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, attended by global healthcare leaders including Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.
Ms. Ohene Oti, who serves as the Oncology Nurse Specialist and Head of Nursing at the National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, was selected from an astounding pool of over 100,000 applicants from 199 countries. Her triumph highlights her more than two decades of dedicated service and innovative leadership in addressing inequities in cancer care.
Upon receiving the award, a deeply humbled Ms. Ohene Oti stated, “This recognition is not mine alone, it belongs to every nurse across Ghana, Africa, and the world who leads with resilience, compassion, and courage. For over two decades, I have witnessed the inequities in cancer care firsthand and dedicated myself 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.”
Her pioneering work in Ghana has been transformative. 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.
Under her leadership, Ghana’s oncology nursing sector has seen major advancements, including the development of the country’s first postgraduate oncology nursing curriculum in 2015, which has led to the training of over 60 oncology nurse specialists and 10 breast care nurses.
Ms. Ohene Oti’s influence extends far beyond Ghana’s borders. She is an active member of the education and training committee for the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), a co-investigator on the Global Bridges Oncology Grant, and contributes to global training as a faculty member for the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Courses. Her advocacy consistently focuses on culturally relevant and equitable cancer care across the continent.
The Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, launched in 2021 by Aster DM Healthcare, aims to recognize the invaluable role of nurses worldwide. Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, praised Ms. Ohene Oti, saying, “Nurse Naomi Ohene Oti has redefined what it means to be a nurse, not just as a caregiver but as an innovator, leader, and changemaker. Her contributions uplift not only patients but the entire healthcare ecosystem, setting a gold standard for others to follow.“
This significant international recognition for a Ghanaian nurse underscores the vital impact of dedicated nursing professionals on global health, particularly in critical areas like oncology, and serves as an inspiration for healthcare practitioners across Africa and beyond.
