Women’s March: Untiring Dr Zainab leads the march against cancer

The plight of mothers whose children she treated inspired Dr Zainab to wage war against cancer

It is very likely that the last time you heard or saw or read about Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu in the media, it wasn’t in reference to her being Kebbi State’s First Lady, but as a champion of the fight against cancer.

But that is not to say that, even as a governor’s wife, she does not lead the way to fight for the rights of women, advocate for the girl child, or struggle for women’s empowerment.

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As a paediatrician, she was inspired to take up the gauntlet when, mothers of the children she treated started seeking her medical advice with regards to their health challenges, particularly breast and cervical cancer; she is a one-stop shop for everything in the interest of women and children, especially the girl child.

In continuation of our series on Nigerian women that deserve to be celebrated, here are a few things about Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu:

• She is the First Lady of Kebbi State.
• She is the treasurer of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum.
• She received her medical education at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and specialist training in Paediatrics and Neonatology in the United Kingdom.
• She is a member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
• She is the Medical Director of Medicaid Radio Diagnostics & Clinics, Shinkafi-Bagudu is also the founder, CEO of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, which has raised over N120 million for the treatment and support of cancer patients in the past five years.
• She is a member of the board of directors of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
• She is a member of the National Cancer Control Technical Working Group as well as the Cancer Treatment Fund of Nigeria.
• She has special interests in gender-based violence, drug abuse, maternal/neonatal health, girl-child education and cancer.
• She is a writer – apart from scientific articles, she contributes op-eds to some national dailies.
  She started a number of multipurpose cooperatives which have MOUs and rebates with multinationals across Nigeria for women.
• She is a patron of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).