Zipporah Ali, a palliative care physician and public health specialist based in Nairobi, Kenya, has been named a candidate for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
Dr Ali has more than three decades of experience in cancer care, palliative care, advocacy, public health, and health policy. She was instrumental in establishing the Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA), where she served as Executive Director for 15 years until 2021.
She currently serves on the boards of KEHPCA and the African Palliative Care Association and remains actively involved in cancer advocacy, palliative care, pain relief, survivorship, and universal health coverage.
The new UICC Board will be elected by UICC full-member organisations during the 2026 UICC General Assembly, which will take place virtually on October 20, 2026. Electronic voting will open on October 13 and close at 14:30 CEST on October 20.
Zipporah Ali’s Work in Palliative and Cancer Care
Dr Ali has played a significant role in integrating palliative care into Kenya’s health system.
During her leadership at KEHPCA, she worked closely with the Ministry of Health to support the integration of palliative care into government hospitals and advocated for palliative care education within undergraduate medical and nursing programmes.
Her work has also contributed to national cancer policy. Dr Ali was involved in developing Kenya’s first National Cancer Control Strategy and National Guidelines for Cancer Management and participated in the technical working group that drafted the country’s first cancer bill.
She has represented cancer and palliative care priorities at international policy forums, including the World Health Assembly in Geneva and United Nations High-Level Meetings on non-communicable diseases.
Why Zipporah Ali Is Running for the UICC Board
Dr Ali said her candidacy is driven by her belief in UICC’s mission to advance global cancer advocacy and equitable access to care.
“I strongly believe in UICC’s mission – shaping global cancer advocacy and driving equitable access to care.”
With more than 30 years of experience as a palliative care physician, advocate, and trainer, she has worked with policymakers, healthcare professionals, communities, people living with cancer, and their families.
She said she hopes to bring this experience to UICC, particularly in strengthening palliative and survivorship care in low- and middle-income countries.
“I want to be part of the global movement and work closely with other professionals to bring a positive impact, where cancer is no longer a death sentence.”
Putting Palliative Care at the Centre of Cancer Control
A central priority of Dr Ali’s candidacy is ensuring that palliative care, pain relief, and survivorship are considered integral parts of cancer care rather than separate services.
She advocates for a continuum of care in which people living with cancer have access to appropriate support from diagnosis through treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care.
“I strongly believe in a world where all people living with cancer have access to the best quality of care (life) across the continuum of cancer care, including palliative care, pain relief, and survivorship care.”
Access to essential medicines is another major area of focus, particularly access to pain-relieving and other essential palliative care medicines.
Dr Ali also emphasised the importance of universal health coverage and stronger health systems to ensure that cancer care is accessible regardless of a person’s financial circumstances or location.
Cancer Prevention and Early Detection
Alongside palliative care, Dr Ali’s work has included cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.
She has a particular interest in improving awareness, screening, early diagnosis, and treatment of breast and cervical cancers in Kenya.
She is currently a co-investigator in research examining an integrated community-clinic model designed to improve early detection of breast and cervical cancers in selected Kenyan counties.
Dr Ali has also worked to ensure that cancer prevention and palliative and survivorship care are incorporated into national cancer strategies and treatment guidelines.
Bringing National and Global Advocacy Experience
Dr Ali brings extensive governance and advocacy experience to her candidacy.
She currently serves on the boards of KEHPCA and the African Palliative Care Association and is a member of the Nairobi City Cancer Challenge Executive Committee. She also co-chairs the Kenya Society of Haematology and Oncology Outreach Subcommittee and the Africa Cancer Survivorship ECHO.
She previously chaired NCD Alliance-Kenya and serves as an advisor to the MSF Canada Transformational Investment Capacity project, supporting palliative care initiatives.
During her 15 years leading KEHPCA, Dr Ali was responsible for building partnerships with national government, development partners, and local, regional, and global organisations, as well as supporting the organisation’s fundraising and sustainability.
“I am passionate about people.”
She said her experience across national, regional, and global levels would allow her to contribute a practical perspective to the UICC Board.
Watch Dr Zipporah Ali’s video message outlining her experience, priorities, and vision as a candidate for the UICC Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
UICC Board Elections 2026
The 2026 UICC election will determine 14 members of the Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
UICC full-member organisations will vote during the virtual General Assembly on October 20, 2026, following the opening of electronic voting on October 13.
The elected Board will help guide UICC’s work on cancer prevention, equitable access to care, health systems strengthening, advocacy, and global cancer control during the next term.
Read further on OncoDaily: Arasb Ahmadian Named Candidate for UICC Board of Directors 2026–2028
