A Filipina nurse based in Saudi Arabia has been named among the top ten professionals shortlisted for the fifth edition of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026, after identifying a key gap in home-based patient care.
Dinah Sevilla was shortlisted from over 134,000 registrations across 214 countries and economies, in recognition of her work that made a significant impact on the lives of her patients.
Sevilla, who serves as head nurse for Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) at King Saud University Medical City and King Khalid University Hospital, noticed that many patients struggled to follow their treatment plans at home, often leading to avoidable complications.
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PD is a home-based treatment used by patients with kidney failure to filter waste from the blood using the lining inside the abdomen, known as the peritoneum, instead of a dialysis machine. Because treatment must be performed daily, patients are required to follow strict hygiene and safety steps.
To address these challenges, Sevilla developed education models, including pictorial guides, demonstration videos, and individualised training sessions, which could cut through language barriers and simplify complicated instructions. The impact has been transformative.
Her patients developed peritonitis only 0.07 per cent of the time while maintaining zero incidents of safety indicators, including medication errors, falls, and catheter-related complications. The worldwide standard is 0.40 per cent, so her results were about 6 times better.
These improvements have not only enhanced patient safety and confidence but have also reduced hospital admissions, emergency visits, and overall healthcare costs, demonstrating the value of nurse-led innovation in driving system efficiency.
Selection process
One of the top 10 finalists will be honoured with the grand title and a prize of 250,000 US dollars, while the remaining finalists will also receive global recognition and rewards for their outstanding contributions to healthcare.
Other finalists who made it to the top 10 include Dr. Agimol Pradeep from UK, Dr. Aidah Alkaissi from Sweden, Dr. Hammoda Abu-Odah from Hong Kong, Indian nurse Hindumbi Kourom Kakkada , Columbian nurses Johana Patricia Galvan Barrios and Ronald Mario Cañas Rojas, Namibian nurse Josephine Nelago Angula, Nigerian nurse Oluchi Angel Okoi and Peter Fore from Papua New Guinea.
Aster has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as the independent ‘Process Advisors’ of the award. The finalists were selected through a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process involving eligibility screening, assessment by an independent panel of experts, and final review by a distinguished Grand Jury comprising global healthcare leaders. The winner will be announced at a gala event in India in July 2026.
Source: Khaleej Times