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Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu about Anuradha Gupta’s retirement

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu/LinkedIn

Jan 18, 2025, 08:37

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu about Anuradha Gupta’s retirement

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, UICC President-Elect of 2024-2026, posted on LinkedIn:

“A few weeks ago, I read with bittersweet feelings, Dr Anuradha Gupta’s news about her retirement from not just Sabin Vaccine Institute but Global Health, and a retreat to her homeland, India. A big loss to the space of a colossal icon, and India’s gain. As the saying goes ‘The Sun is still there when you cannot see it.’

So with profound admiration and gratitude, I pay tribute to Anuradha Gupta, a strong, visionary woman and unwavering advocate for global health. Throughout my interactions with her, she has been warm, inspiring, and insightful with a deep understanding and commitment to creating equitable healthcare systems. Equally notable is her innate ability to bring diverse voices together in pursuit of common goals.

Anuradha’s support has profoundly impacted my work and my journey in cancer advocacy. I vividly recall her gracious invitation to the Global HPV Consortium Convening in Kuala Lumpur. This landmark event, organized under her leadership as President of Global Immunization at the Sabin Vaccine Institute was pivotal in shaping strategies to combat HPV and cervical cancer. Her inclusive approach and dedication to amplifying marginalized voices made a lasting difference.

Anuradha has a unique talent for making everyone feel heard and valued. I am honored to have collaborated with her on initiatives that advance women’s health around the world. India, a high-population country with a diverse population very similar to my country, Nigeria, is turning around its health system and showing us that better access to care for cancer, and other non-communicable and communicable diseases, is doable.

As she embarks on the next chapter in India, I have no doubt that she will continue to open doors for generations of aspiring public health leaders.

I wish you the very best in your future endeavors.

Thank you, Anuradha, for your friendship, guidance, and support, and for being a beacon of hope in global health.”

Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is a global cancer advocate, a pediatrician, UICC President-Elect of 2024-2026, a UICC Board Member, a Founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, and the Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC). Dr. Bagudu is working with the state ministries of health, education, and women’s affairs to implement programs to sustainably improve menstrual hygiene, girl-child education, economic empowerment of women, and put an end to gender-based violence. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is a member of the Editorial Board of OncoDaily.