Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is preparing to take the reins of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) as its first African president. She assumes the role at a time when cancer cases are projected to surge, with the heaviest burden falling on low- and middle-income nations. Her election highlights a long-standing disparity in global health resources, as she notes that the delay in appointing a leader from the continent reflects systemic inadequacies in cancer care across Africa.
UICC President Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu on Global Cancer Trends
The urgency of her mission is underscored by data from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. In 2024, 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer, and 9.8 million died from the disease. Projections indicate that cases will rise by 67% to over 34 million by 2050, while deaths could climb by 79% to 17.5 million. The majority of these additional fatalities are expected to occur in poorer regions where health systems are already strained.
Shinkafi-Bagudu, a Nigerian paediatrician, witnessed the human impact of these statistics firsthand. She recounted seeing a young breast cancer patient named Gloria in Abuja, who was previously hospitalized with advanced disease. Months later, at the World Cancer Congress in Hong Kong, Shinkafi-Bagudu saw Gloria walking with a stick, advocating for other patients. This personal connection drives her commitment to using the UICC, which represents over 1,100 member organizations in 170 countries, to bridge the gap between resource-rich nations and those with limited services.
“Cancer is tripling and is going to keep on increasing, and the people affected by it most are those from the global south,” Shinkafi-Bagudu said. She argues that simply building more specialist hospitals is insufficient. Effective care requires a comprehensive approach that includes screening, early diagnosis, radiotherapy, medicines, and trained health workers. She also emphasizes the need to protect families from the financial devastation that often accompanies cancer treatment.
Advancing Cancer Financing and Prevention
Access to basic services remains critically low. UICC chief executive Cary Adams noted that less than half of the global population has access to diagnostic services. Furthermore, only 14% of the 73 million people who need palliative care each year can receive it. In many low- and middle-income countries, patients pay for care out of pocket, pushing many into poverty.
Shinkafi-Bagudu plans to address these financial barriers by advocating for a global cancer financing platform. She wants to model this system partly on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which mobilizes resources from governments and donors. She points out that cancer has never received the same level of dedicated global funding as other major diseases. Her goal is to create a mechanism that strengthens prevention, diagnosis, and treatment through coordinated international support.
Her strategy also includes a strong focus on prevention. She intends to prioritize childhood cancers and liver cancer linked to hepatitis. Shinkafi-Bagudu highlights that cancer risk is influenced by tobacco use, infections, alcohol, diet, and obesity. During her time as first lady of Kebbi state in Nigeria, she helped establish the region’s first cancer-control plan and registry. Her foundation also campaigned for the introduction of the single-dose HPV vaccine into Nigeria’s routine immunization program in 2023.
Looking toward the future, Shinkafi-Bagudu wants to shift Africa’s role in cancer research from that of a recipient to a contributor. She points to emerging research centers in Nigeria, Rwanda, and Kenya, as well as training programs that send African health workers to countries like China for specialized skills. The UICC has set targets to reduce cancer mortality by 25% by 2035 and ensure that 60% of cancers are diagnosed at an early stage. Shinkafi-Bagudu states that the true measure of her presidency will be whether these global commitments reach the people who need them most.
Source: The Guardian
