The global healthcare community continues to discuss Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan’s candidacy for WHO Director-General.
Kieran Bligh, Senior Doctoral Researcher and Op-Ed Contributor at Health Policy Watch, highlights Tamamyan’s positions on WHO reform, accountability, and organizational culture.
“Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan has been the most refreshingly honest candidate in the race to become Director-General of the World Health Organization. He is talking about the real mechanics of reform: how WHO works today, how it should work, and the nitty-gritty of what needs to change.
I’m hearing from influential people within Member States across the Global North and South who are impressed by his ideas and his very intentional willingness to listen. Some call his ideas radical, but after the last decade of decline, WHO needs radical change to correct course.
WHO’s Sexual Harassment and Misconduct dashboard shows just how badly its organizational culture has deteriorated. Tamamyan is the only candidate who has addressed this properly, with a plan to clean it up.
Staff committed to WHO’s mission deserve an environment where they can do great work. Too many do not have that now. Independent media must also be able to scrutinize WHO and get clear answers from its leaders, which Tamamyan has promised.
I think Tamamyan is well in the race for the final three, but if he isn’t ultimately elected, the next Director-General should bring him into their senior leadership team. WHO needs a relentless, courageous, and innovative team willing to challenge the status quo and hold the organization accountable. Based on what I’ve seen from Tamamyan to date, he has those qualities.
The next Director-General cannot assume they will have five years to deliver. If another major Member State withdraws, WHO’s institutional survival is not guaranteed. Given the drastic decline over the last five years, the next Director-General must act quickly and deliver results, and Tamamyan offers that.
Check out Health Policy Watch’s profile of Dr. Tamamyan.”
About Kieran Bligh
Kieran Bligh is a Senior Doctoral Researcher and Op-Ed Contributor at Health Policy Watch, and the Founder and Principal Consultant of The Bligh Group Limited.
As a humanitarian supply chain professional, he has held supply chain roles at the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain program, and has worked as a Global Health Project Manager at UNICEF. During the Covid-19 response, he worked on the front lines to keep humanitarian cargo moving.
About Dr Gevorg Tamamyan
Dr Gevorg Tamamyan, MD, MSc, PhD, DSc, FASCO, is a prospective candidate for the post of Director-General of the World Health Organization, nominated by the Republic of Botswana. He is a global leader in oncology, health systems strengthening, and international health cooperation, recognized for building bridges between countries and advancing equitable cancer care in resource-limited settings.
Dr. Tamamyan is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at Yerevan State Medical University and CEO of the Immune Oncology Research Institute (IMMONC).
He is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily, one of the world’s largest oncology media platforms, created to democratize access to reliable, independent, and evidence-based cancer information globally.
Dr. Tamamyan was elected and currently serves as President of two major international pediatric oncology organizations: the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) Asia Continental Branch, representing pediatric oncology professionals across Asia, and the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) Group, uniting 28 countries and 110 cancer centers. He also serves as Co-Chair of the St. Jude EURO Regional Advisory Committee, encompassing 13 European countries.
At the age of 31, Dr. Tamamyan was appointed Head of the Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Armenia, where he led the consolidation of previously fragmented pediatric oncology and hematology services into a single national center. Under his leadership, the Center evolved into a regional reference point, with survival rates reaching up to 80%.
He also co-founded City of Smile, a national pediatric cancer charity that helps ensure universal coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of every child and young adult with cancer in Armenia.
Dr. Tamamyan is Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Cancer and Crisis and an adviser to the Rector of Yerevan State Medical University. He previously served as President of the Harvard Club of Armenia.
Educated and trained across seven countries in Europe, North America, and Asia, his professional journey spans frontline clinical practice, research, academic leadership, national cancer center management, global health diplomacy, and institution building.
He is the recipient of numerous international awards and distinctions, including Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO); ASCO LIFe and IDEA Awards; UICC and IARC Young Leader Awards; the 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award; the Latin American and Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology (SLACOM) Award for Global Oncology Leadership; and the Global Health Catalyst Distinguished Leader Award.
He is married and has two daughters, Charlize and Letizia.
Read more about Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan’s WHO candidacy:
Dr Gevorg Tamamyan is Nominated as a Candidate for WHO Director-General Position
Watch HRH Princess Dina Mired’s interview with Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan: The Man Who Challenged Cancer Hierarchies