Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, UICC President-Elect of 2024-2026, Founder and CEO of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Prioritizing cancer control, women’s health, and health equity to drive global economic productivity took priority at my World Health Assembly WHA engagements this year. We continue to work towards equitable care pathways and eliminating barriers to healthcare for women, so that we can boost community resilience.
Accompanied by Pharmacist Aisha Mohammed from MEDICAID CANCER FOUNDATION, our strategic discussions at the UICC Cancer Planners Forum focused on bridging research gaps, expanding clinical access, and preparing for the World Cancer Congress in Hong Kong.
I was honored to moderate a side event marking five years of the Global Breast Cancer Initiative, which brought together Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), World Health Organization, OAFLAD, and the health ministries of Botswana, Egypt, and Indonesia. We heard about country-led efforts to meet the 60:60:80 breast cancer survival targets through stronger data systems, patient navigation, and regional treatment access.
Addressing disparities remained the focus during our World Economic Forum Champions meeting and Roundtable panel on women’s health. Here, I joined a panel session where I discussed the additional challenges women in LMICs face, emphasizing the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration to fund innovation and close research gaps.
Extending these efforts to vulnerable populations, the week also marked the launch of OncoCorridor, a humanitarian platform co-founded by Gevorg Tamamyan, connecting cancer patients in conflict zones directly to operational treatment centers worldwide.
In all my sessions, I shared the progress and challenges we face in Nigeria through our NCCP Nigeria, led by Prof Dr. Folakemi Odedina (PhD) and National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, led by Prof. Usman Aliyu.
Grateful for the continued collaboration of partners, advocates, and stakeholders working to strengthen global health systems. Always a pleasure to see friends and colleagues during what is typically a very busy week.”
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