Kenyan Nurse Honoured in Finland for Work on Neglected Tropical Disease

Kenyan nurse Luke Kanyang’areng has received the 2025 Human Rights and Nursing Award in Finland for his work combating visceral leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting communities in East Africa.

Kanyang’areng, head nurse at Kanyarkwat Health Centre in West Pokot County, was recognised at the 25th International Nursing Ethics Conference in Turku. He is the first Kenyan to receive the award, which is presented by the Nursing Ethics Editorial Board to nurses who promote human rights and dignity in healthcare.

He was commended for his longstanding efforts to address kala-azar, a disease he personally survived at age 14 after enduring a month of painful treatment. His experience led him to pursue nursing, with a focus on improving healthcare access and awareness in his home region of Suam.

In a community where limited health services and insecurity have historically posed major challenges, Kanyang’areng has spent more than 20 years leading clinical care, education campaigns, and outreach aimed at early diagnosis and treatment. He has also taken part in clinical trials to improve therapies and worked to correct public misconceptions about the disease.

Health facilities in the region, including Kacheliba Sub-County Hospital, have seen improvements in kala-azar outcomes as more patients now seek care earlier. His collaboration with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative has helped raise the profile of the disease and secure support for treatment and research.

In 2022, Kanyang’areng travelled to Norway to support a fundraising campaign, helping raise approximately Sh19 million for neglected tropical diseases through public engagement and media work. He has also worked to train local health ambassadors and promote awareness beyond clinical settings.

The 2025 award was jointly presented to Finnish nurse Marianne Olander, recognised for her work with the Finnish Red Cross. Olander previously served in West Pokot in the 1980s, a connection Kanyang’areng described as significant for the region. The Human Rights and Nursing Award has previously gone to nurses working in conflict zones and remote areas around the world. 

“This recognition empowers me to intensify my efforts to raise awareness and improve healthcare access for neglected diseases,” he said during the ceremony.