Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu: The World Leaders Cancer Summit was a phenomenal success

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu posted on LinkedIn:

“Reflections from Long Beach
The World Leaders Cancer Summit was a phenomenal success in terms of content, speakers, technology, and organization. Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) continues to deliver high-quality, value-for-money meetings unmatched by any other body.

Meeting apps are quite helpful to plan an itinerary of meetings to attend, networking opportunities and attempt to initiate partnerships with that align with one’s work. Although the UICC app was quite straightforward, some of my “clicks” happened on the corridor and by the traffic light! Congratulations again to Freddie Bray for winning the Outstanding Contribution to Cancer award.

I held useful discussions with Michael Oberreiter, Gevorg Tamamyan, Kingsley I. Ndoh, the AI guru. With Wil Ngwa, we mused the possibility of having WCLS in Africa. Rwanda has slowly placed itself on the global map as a worthy host for such meetings of import. I believe the presence of the Rwandan First Lady in LA ticks one box- political will. With the right push, collaboration and organization, Africa can tick more boxes and host a summit in the near future.

I also participated in a panel discussion organized by Hologic, Inc. on women’s cancers. We shared our futuristic dream of where to place breast and cervical cancer control in 7 years; and how to get there. It was a pleasure to rub minds, Benjamin Anderson, Miriam Mutebi, Somesh Kumar, Anne Rositch.

The theme this 2023 was “Cancer Control in a changing world.” Two changes that stood out for me were climate change and cancer in conflict zones. More so the later, in the face of escalating war in Israel and Palestine.

The Council on Foreign Relations’s Global Conflict Tracker says there are 32 ongoing conflicts worldwide. A further dig into the literature shows extensive research and coverage of the humanitarian effects of war as well as some studies on the general effects on health systems in crisis, but very little about cancer.

The brilliant panelists shared insights from different regions. Sudan (Nazik Hammad) Syria (M. Tezer Kutluk)and Ukraine (Anna Uzlova)- chaired by Prof. Andreas Charalambous, President of European Cancer Organisation.
The panel concluded that crises are complex and unique to the region they occur in; and for improved management we need the collective knowledge gained over the years.
They recommended that:
1. National Cancer Plans should include a section on how to handle “cancer control in crisis situations.”
2. Collecting data & research during crisis situation though difficult, is necessary to have useful interventions.

I personally feel that without politicizing, scientists, clinicians, organizations, advocates and patients in the cancer space need to speak up more in mainstream media and not just scientific journals. Conflicts are plastered on headlines with gruesome images. We have to also tell the cancer story and bring attention to the unfolding catastrophe. ”

Source: Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu/LinkedIn

Her Excellency Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is the First Lady of Kebbi State, a global cancer advocate, a pediatrician, a UICC Board Member, a Founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, and the Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), a coalition of the spouses of current and former state governors in Nigeria who are working to address gaps in the cancer continuum of care. In her role as the First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr Bagudu is working with the state ministries of health, education, and women affairs to implement programs to sustainably improve menstrual hygiene, girl-child education, economic empowerment of women, and put an end to gender-based violence. Her Excellency is a member of the Editorial Board of OncoDaily.