Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, UICC President-Elect of 2024-2026 and a Founder and CEO of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Every year, over 350,000 women lose their lives to cervical cancer, and tragically, 9 out of 10 deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Despite being one of the most preventable women’s cancers, far too many women still suffer due to gaps in awareness, healthcare infrastructure, and policy implementation.
Achieving the World Health Organization 90–70–90 targets is critical to ending this disease. In commemoration of the Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action on November 17, we held a teal ribbon ceremony at the Medicaid Cancer Foundation. Along with patients like Mercy, a 25-year-old young woman battling cervical cancer, we stood in solidarity and hope.
Beyond symbolism, Medicaid Radio-diagnostics and Clinics provided free pre-treatment tests to reinforce our dedication to ensuring that patients with cervical cancer have a chance to live.
As vice chair of the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination (NTF-CCE), along with many other esteemed experts, we recently launched a comprehensive national cervical cancer screening guideline, which now needs to be adopted and funded at all levels of government, engage industry stakeholders, and be disseminated widely. Although this is creating momentum, we must sustain advocacy, survivor engagement, and youth mobilization to translate policy into action.
Visit our websites to read more about our PACE, care wheels program, and the innovative ways we fund cancer treatment.”
More posts featuring Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu.
