Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu: Our Art 4 Cancer show is an example of how partnerships between a large high income organization partners with our relatively smaller Medicaid Cancer Foundation to create awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Art 4 Cancer:

Amidst the stereotype images of conflict, underdevelopment, hunger, and deaths associated with Africa, lies a rich tapestry of art, history, culture, and untapped natural resources that continues to attracts many to the continent.
Thus, it is sensible to enter strong partnerships, that use the same medium of art, to create positive health messages.

Our Art 4 Cancer show held last week, is an example of how partnerships between a large high income organization, Johnson and Johnson, partners with our relatively smaller Medicaid Cancer Foundation to create awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer. Using visual art, dance, craft in an ambient environment brought together stakeholders led by the Hon Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa

A recent Lancet commission on Cancer found that people in sub-Saharan Africa seem to face a lower risk of getting cancer but have a much higher risk of dying from it. It is estimated that cancer mortality will increase from 500,000 in 2020 to 1m by 2030. This is explained by poor levels of detection, diagnosis and treatment. There simply aren’t enough healthcare providers trained in oncology, diagnostic equipment and access to treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is also clear that cancer cases are vastly underreported in sub-Saharan Africa, where population-based cancer registries are scarce.

However, the greatest barrier to early detection is societal behavior in seeking health care. This poor behavior often stems from entrenched beliefs in superstition, along with an unproven, unvalidated and unresearched resort to alternative medicine.

Awareness and education is a very low hanging fruit we must grasp to curb the growing burden of cancer in Africa.

I am very grateful for the support of J and J Nigeria. We have to be deliberate about working together across board to stop so many needless deaths from cancer.”

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.