Filipino Nurse in Riyadh Reaches Finals of Prestigious $250,000 Global Award

Filipino nurse Dinah Sevilla, based in Riyadh, has achieved a remarkable milestone after being selected among the top 10 finalists from more than 134,000 applicants for a prestigious international nursing award worth $250,000.

The winner of the fifth edition of the “Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2026” is set to be announced during a ceremony in India later this year.

Representing Saudi Arabia, Sevilla’s achievement highlights the exceptional standards of healthcare professionals working across the Kingdom and their growing impact on patient care, healthcare innovation, and community wellbeing.

Sevilla currently serves as head nurse of peritoneal dialysis at King Saud University Medical City and King Khalid Hospital in Riyadh. She has gained recognition for promoting culturally sensitive patient education programs aimed at improving home dialysis care and reducing medical complications.

Under her leadership, the dialysis unit recorded a peritonitis rate of just 0.07 percent, significantly lower than the global benchmark of 0.40 percent, helping reduce emergency visits and hospital admissions while demonstrating the value of specialized nursing care in chronic disease management.

Speaking about the recognition, Sevilla described the achievement as both an honor and a responsibility, emphasizing her commitment to strengthening awareness around kidney disease and dialysis care, particularly for underprivileged patients.

She also stressed the importance of encouraging patients to believe that life with kidney disease can still be meaningful and fulfilling, while promoting home dialysis and patient independence regardless of social background.

Sevilla explained that adapting to cultural differences has been a key part of her professional journey in the Kingdom, noting that learning Arabic has become increasingly important for healthcare workers to better communicate with patients and express empathy and compassion during treatment.

Reflecting on her career, she shared that she worked in the Philippines for nearly six years before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2011, describing the Kingdom as a place that holds a special place in her heart due to the opportunities and professional growth it has offered her.

She began her journey in the Kingdom as a staff nurse before later working with COVID-19 patients during the pandemic and eventually becoming a head nurse in 2022.

Sevilla added that Filipino nurses are widely respected around the world for their dedication, compassion, and commitment to patient care, reaffirming her ongoing mission to improve dialysis services, support patient independence, and contribute to evidence-based medical research.

The global nursing award has continued to attract growing participation worldwide, with last year’s edition receiving more than 100,000 applications.