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Christine Sammy , 2024 Kitui County Nurse of the Year and National Finalist

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Christine Mawia Sammy, a pediatric neonatal nurse at Kitui County Referral Hospital and the County Reproductive Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health Coordinator, recently gained recognition by winning the title of 2024 Kitui County Nurse of the Year.

This achievement qualified her to compete at the national level for the prestigious Nurse/Midwife of the Year Award, which honors outstanding nursing professionals across the country. Among 20 finalists, Christine represented Kitui County with pride whose inspiring story centered on saving the lives of mothers and newborns through resource mobilization and mentorship, however the national title was awarded to a nurse from Turkana County.

 

Christine’s journey in nursing has been marked by exceptional accomplishments, particularly her role in establishing the first-ever newborn unit in Kitui County in 2010. This initiative transformed a single nursery room into an independent unit, which drastically reduced the neonatal mortality rate from over 50% to below 10% within a year. With 27 years of experience, she has effectively spearheaded interventions that have significantly improved newborn survival rates in the region.

 

Recognizing that many neonatal deaths were caused by birth asphyxia, Christine took proactive measures by coordinating resuscitation training and mentorship across all eight sub-counties in Kitui. Her efforts focused on equipping healthcare providers with essential skills and mobilizing resources to support their work, even in the face of cultural and religious barriers. As a result of these initiatives, the infant mortality rate in Kitui County dropped from 47 per 1,000 live births to 24.9 per 1,000 live births.

In addition to her recent accolades, Christine has been honored both nationally and internationally for her contributions to nursing and healthcare. Her numerous awards include being named District Nurse of the Year and Provincial Nurse of the Year (Eastern Province) in 2010. In 2013, she received the International Neonatal Nursing Excellence Award, and the same year, she was honored by the former President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, with the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) Presidential Award.

In 2021, she won the Beyond Zero Health Awards (Nurse-Led Initiative of the Year), presented by the former First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Margaret Kenyatta, during the Beyond Zero Health Awards Summit held at State House, Nairobi. In 2022, she was honored by former President H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta with the Trailblazer of the Year Award in the Reproductive Health category. In 2023, she was named one of the top ten finalists for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Awards held in London on May 12, 2023, making her the only Kenyan to achieve this honor.

On January 30, 2024, Christine was featured on the popular women-centered TV segment MWANAMKE BOMBA, aired during Citizen TV’s prime time news (Citizen Nipashe), hosted by Mwanahamisi Hamadi. The segment highlighted her incredible journey and the impact of her work in maternal and newborn healthcare, inspiring viewers and underscoring the vital role of nurses in saving lives. Christine Mawia Sammy continues to be a beacon of hope and an advocate for the health of mothers and children in Kenya.

Organizers of the 2024 event recognized Christine Mawia Sammy as an international award winning nurse.

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