Insight

Jan 9, 2025, 03:14

SIOP Supportive Care Network welcomes a new member: Gita Naidu

This appointment reflects her commitment to enhancing the quality of care for children and adolescents battling cancer.

The SIOP Supportive Care Network focuses on addressing global challenges in providing supportive care for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer. Supportive care involves preventing and managing the negative effects of cancer and its treatments.

SIOP Supportive Care Network

This includes handling both the physical and psychological symptoms and side effects, as well as addressing psychosocial issues throughout the cancer journey—from diagnosis and treatment to post-treatment care. The goal of supportive care is to enhance quality of life, promote secondary cancer prevention, support survivorship, and provide end-of-life care when needed.

Co-Chairs: Miguela Caniza, Pia Delano

Steering Group: Jess Morgan, Maya Prasad, Sadaf Altaf, Gita Naidu, Arpita Bhattacharyya, Jocelyn Rivera-Mijares

About Gita Naidu

SIOP Supportive Care Network welcomes a new member: Gita Naidu

Professor Gita Naidu leads the Paediatric Oncology department at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and serves as the academic head of Paediatric Oncology at the University of the Witwatersrand.

She is the chair of the South African Association of Paediatric Haematology Oncology and co-chair of the sub-Saharan Africa Region for St. Jude Global. Prof. Naidu teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students, mentors fellows, and has supervised many postgraduate theses.

She serves on the boards of CHOC Foundation SA, Reach for a Dream, and Kids Kicking Cancer. Her research interests include infections in children with cancer, febrile neutropenia guidelines, antimicrobial stewardship, treatment abandonment, and nutrition. She specializes in leukemia, lymphoma, AIDS-related cancers, and retinoblastoma.

SIOP Supportive Care Network welcomes a new member: Gita Naidu

Prof. Naidu is the associate editor of the South African Journal of Oncology, editor of the South African Journal of Child Health, collaborates on international clinical trials, and is a member of the global retinoblastoma advisory board and IDORI at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is also involved in drafting the national cancer care plan for children and adolescents with cancer in South Africa.

Research Interests

Prof. Naidu’s research is centered on various critical areas within pediatric oncology, including:

Infectious Complications: Her Ph.D. research, supervised by Professor Shabir Madhi, focused on infectious complications in children undergoing cancer treatment.
Clinical Guidelines: She works on developing guidelines for managing febrile neutropenia and antimicrobial stewardship.
Cancer Types: Her specialization includes leukemia, lymphoma, AIDS-related cancers, neuroblastoma, and retinoblastoma.

SIOP:

“Gita Naidu has been appointed SIOP Supportive Care Network Steering Group Member!

Welcome Gita, we look forward to working to improve the lives of children and adolescents with cancer together!

Learn more about the SIOP Supportive Care Network here.”

SIOP Supportive Care Network welcomes a new member: Gita Naidu