Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu

Her Excellency, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is a Paediatric Consultant, a loud voice in the fight against cancer and a child’s right advocate. She is the First Lady of Kebbi state, a platform that has turned her into a role model in the state and beyond. Her advocacy for women, children and the youth in Kebbi state and Northern Nigeria, cuts across health, education and skills acquisition.

Dr. Zainab Bagudu obtained her MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine) from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria followed by a specialist training in Paediatrics and Neonatology in the United Kingdom. Amongst other academic qualification, she has a Masters in Paediatrics, a Diploma in Tropical Child Health and membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

After her specialist training abroad, she returned to Nigeria in 2002 toset up and head the Paediatric Unit of Garki Hospital under a pioneering Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme with the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. By 2009, she branched into private service with an innovative Diagnostic Centre, Medicaid Radio-diagnostics. The center bridged the healthcare gap created by paucity of diagnostic tools in the region. As well as being the Chief Executive of Medicaid, Dr Zainab Bagudu is the founder of Medicaid Cancer Foundation (MCF), which creates awareness and funds diagnosis, and treatment of the common cancers in Nigeria. MCF has become quite famous for holding an annual one million-walk away cancer fundraiser.