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, today announced that Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, Slovenia’s former Minister of Health, will serve as Co-Chair of his campaign’s International Advisory Board for World Health Organization Director-General.
“I am deeply honored to announce that Prof. Valentina Prevolnik Rupel has kindly agreed to Co-Chair the International Advisory Board of my campaign for Director-General of the World Health Organization.
As Slovenia’s Minister of Health from 2023 to 2026, and a health economist with decades of work on outcomes, quality and value-based care, she has spent her career asking the question that matters most: what does the patient gain?
That is exactly the WHO I believe in: focused on results, accountable for delivery, and measured by lives improved.
Welcome, dear Valentina.
The world must have WHO: one that delivers with equity, access and accountability.”
Welcoming the role, Valentina Prevolnik Rupel issued the following statement:
“The mission of setting up WHO as a result-oriented organization with measurable global impact is crucial: staying focused, with the knowledge that everything cannot be done and that priorities must be defined transparently in cooperation with Member States.
The impact of WHO resolutions and actions must be measured and they must lead to changes that we want to achieve around the world. I am really excited and proud to work with Gevorg Tamamyan on this and was deeply honoured to receive (and accept) his invitation to cooperate.”
About Valentina Prevolnik Rupel
Valentina Prevolnik Rupel is a Slovenian health economist, academic, and public official who served as Slovenia’s Minister of Health.
Before her appointment as Minister of Health, she served as State Secretary at the Slovenian Ministry of Health and held key advisory positions at both the Ministry of Health and the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia. Outside government service, she was a Senior Researcher and Scientific Advisor at the Institute for Economic Research (IER) in Ljubljana, where she focused on health and long-term care and served as President of the Scientific Council of the IER.
Additionally, she was a lecturer at the DOBA Faculty of Applied Business and Social Studies in Maribor, a member of the Prime Minister’s Strategic Council for Health, and actively collaborates with international research networks including EuroQol and ISPOR.
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