President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, saying her election as the President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), is a testament to Nigeria’s growing influence in global health leadership.
Congratulating Dr Shinkafi-Bagudu, a renowned paediatrician with a distinguished career in public health and former First Lady of Kebbi State, President Tinubu noted that her election attests to her competence, character and affirms the enormous talents that abound in Nigeria.
Underscoring the historic significance of Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu’s election on October 8 as the first African and the fifth woman to lead the global cancer control organisation, the Nigerian Leader in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, described her ascension as ‘a landmark achievement.’
Invaluable Services
President Tinubu recalled Dr Shinkafi-Bagudu’s invaluable services to Kebbi state and the country, for which the President said the nation is deeply grateful.
He lauded her stewardship as Chairperson of the First Ladies Cancer Initiative and her contributions to establishing the Kebbi State Strategic Plan for Cancer Control during her tenure as the First Lady of Kebbi State.
Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu founded the Medicaid Cancer Foundation. She is also a Senior Advisor to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and Vice Chair of Nigeria’s National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination.
The Nigerian Leader expressed confidence in Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu’s ability to use her new office and leadership to improve cancer control and global health.
The Geneva-based UICC was founded in 1933 and has more than 1100 member organisations in over 170 countries and territories.
Partnerships On Cervical Cancer
With her support and through the Federal Ministry of Health and international partnerships, Nigeria has successfully vaccinated 12 million girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
Recall that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has equally allocated N37.4 billion to the Federal Ministry of Health’s Oncology Initiative.
This initiative will facilitate the establishment of six cancer centres across the country within two years, located in teaching hospitals in Benin, Zaria, Katsina, Enugu, Jos, and Lagos.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
Comments are closed.