Miriam Mutebi: One statement that resonated this week from the CGI meetings

Miriam Mutebi posted on LinkedIn:

“One statement that resonated this week from the CGI meetings was Jill Biden’s: ‘Women are not small men.’

This powerful assertion underscores the need for gender-responsive healthcare systems, especially in cancer care.

Over the past few days, while working with City Cancer Challenge and representing the The Lancet Commission on Women, Power, and Cancer, AORTIC- Africa and AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY, discussions have centered on co-developing solutions that address the unique healthcare needs of women.

Our mission with C/CAN is urgent. Women are disproportionately affected by cancer, particularly in urban areas across Africa. Building accessible, respectful, and quality cancer care systems for women is critical—especially given that of the premature cancer deaths occuring under 50 years, 2 out of 3 are women. Achieving gender equity could therefore save over 800,000 lives annually.

Moreover the highest burden cancers across most of sub-Saharan Africa are breast and cervical cancers, with attendant high mortalities, further emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive approaches. To address this, C/CAN has launched pilots and committed $10M to improve cancer care in cities starting with three cities: Nairobi, Kenya; Lyon, France; and Tbilisi, Georgia. These cities will serve as models for creating gender-responsive cancer treatment systems.

In Kenya, for example, findings from a comprehensive analysis of cancer research outputs, led by myself and AORTIC in collaboration with King’s College London with key figures such as Prof Richard Sullivan, Julie S. Torode, and Prof Verna Vanderpuye, in partnership with the Kenya Society of Haematology and Oncology (KESHO) , highlight both progress and significant gaps.

Kenya’s cancer research is growing, with a sixfold increase in internationally co-authored papers, signaling strong global collaboration. However, certain cancers, including cervical, liver and esophageal cancers, remain under-researched relative to their burden in Africa.

At UNGA79, we further advanced this conversation with a growing coalition of leaders and partners committed to Gender Equity in cancer care. Critical themes emerged, such as the need for real-time data collection, culturally tailored interventions, increased female representation in healthcare leadership, and effective impact measurement.

Through AORTIC- Africa, C/CAN, KESHO, and partnerships with organizations like Clinton Global Initiative , we are translating our insights into action—ensuring that cancer care systems are designed with women’s unique needs at the forefront, to help drive progress for all.”

Source: Miriam Mutebi/LinkedIn

Miriam Mutebi is a Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. She is the President of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and past president for Kenya Society of Hematology and Oncology (KESHO) and on the Board of Directors of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).

She is the co-founder of the Pan African Women’s Association of Surgeons and is part of the Kenya Association of Women Surgeons. She is an avid supporter for the education and support for women, especially in surgery and she aims to provide mentorship for women in surgery and to improve women’s health and surgical care in Africa. She is currently pursuing a pilot’s license in order to extend breast care services to marginalized areas.