Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus became Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) on 1 July 2017, the first person from the WHO African Region to head the United Nations public health agency. His directorship has spanned the Ebola outbreak which began in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018, and the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Ghebreyesus graduated from the University of Asmara in 1986 and holds an MSc in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from University College London, a PhD in Community Health from the University of Nottingham, and an Honorary Fellowship from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. After his studies he worked in Ethiopia as a field malariologist, later serving in the federal government as Minister of Health (2005-12) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012-16).
Prior to his election as Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros held leadership positions in global health, including as Chair of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Chair of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, and Co-chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Board.
Professional position
- Director-General, World Health Organisation
