Dr Gevorg Tamamyan, Candidate for WHO Director-General, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at Yerevan State Medical University and Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily, outlines a plan to address prolonged vacancies at the World Health Organization, with clear recruitment deadlines, transparent reporting, and accountability for delays.
“Breaking the bureaucracy at WHO. Mechanism one: no empty desks.
I know of important, fully funded positions at World Health Organization that stayed empty for years. Someone was named ‘in charge,’ the gap was covered on paper, and the position was never filled. The work suffered. Everyone knew. Nothing moved.
This should not happen again.
If the HR system cannot fill a funded position, we will fix the HR system. These are positions that WHO needs. Filling them is our responsibility.
One lesson has guided my career: you never start looking for great people only when a desk becomes empty. My door has always been open. I talk with doctors, researchers and young leaders constantly, even when there is no open job.
At WHO, that starts at the top. My door, and the doors of every Assistant Director-General and director, will be open. Every candidate will go through a fair, transparent, competitive process. Rules exist for a reason. But process must never become an excuse for years of inaction.
What changes:
A position covered by someone ‘in charge’ is still a vacant position. It will be counted as vacant, reported as vacant, and filled if it is funded and approved for recruitment.
When we know someone is leaving, we start the recruitment process that same day. Retirements are known well in advance. Resignations usually come with notice. For planned departures, recruitment will begin early enough to allow a proper handover.
For every funded position approved for recruitment, an offer will be issued within 60 calendar days of the recruitment being launched, and never later than 60 days after the desk is empty. Not a year. Sixty days. And we will measure when the person actually starts, because an offer alone does not fill an empty desk, and delays after the offer are HR’s to fix.
We will stop rebuilding the process for each vacancy: pre-approved job descriptions for recurring roles, standing interview panels with regular slots, and pools of candidates already assessed through the same competitive process. Each candidate must still meet the requirements of the specific position. But we should not have to start searching from zero every time.
Every quarter, we will publish how long each post stayed empty, how long it took to issue an offer, and where delays happened, by department and region. Vacancies awaiting recruitment approval will also be visible. Delaying approval must not become a way to delay accountability.
My own appointments, starting with Assistant Directors-General, will be measured by the same clock. In every quarterly report, my numbers will be the first line, above every department and every region. Accountability starts with me.
Emergencies do not wait for committees. WHO should not either.
I welcome your suggestions on how we break the bureaucracy at WHO. Concrete ones.”
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