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, shared his vision for press freedom and media accountability in global health:
“An Independent Press That Can Hold Us to Account
Trust is not built by communications departments. It is built by people who have no reason to flatter us.
World Health Organization will establish an Independent Health Journalism Fund, held at arm’s length from the Organization. It will provide grants to individual reporters, news platforms, and media outlets covering health, international and national, in high-income and low- and middle-income countries alike, including local-language media, for evidence-based reporting on everything in health that matters to people, with priority for investigative and in-depth work – the journalism that is hardest to fund and easiest to lose.
The standard is evidence. Grantees will be free to investigate, question, and criticize WHO itself, and they will be expected to do so with facts. That is not a risk. That is the point.
WHO will fund the Fund, and nothing more. A selection board of respected journalists, scientists, and public figures, independent of WHO, will decide who receives support. The founding board will be appointed through a fully public process, criteria, nominations, and reasoning published, so that no one can question how it was formed. After that, the board renews itself. No WHO official will sit on it. No grant will be conditioned on coverage.
I founded a media platform. It, and any outlet in which I or my family hold an interest, will be permanently ineligible. The rule applies to me first.
An organization that saves lives has nothing to fear from scrutiny. An organization that fears scrutiny will not be trusted when it matters most.”
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