Dr. Tedros Adhanom Education

“I truly believe that, together, we can create a healthier world.” – Tedros Adhanom
How often has it happened in the history of humankind that one person single-handedly ushered millions of people into a fight against an unseen danger? Not every person is able to rise to the occasion. But Tedros Adhanom, the current Director-General of W.H.O has become a beacon of hope and is steering the world into the right direction in face of a raging pandemic. While COVID-19 infection invaded into public spaces, he emerged as a true leader and encouraged the world while outlining a roadmap for the future course of action. Everybody knows him today. But if you wonder how he rose to this position, then follow this Tedros Adhanom Education blog for an in-depth glance into his early life, educational journey and quest towards becoming the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Tedros Adhanom Education and Childhood

“Expanding health coverage is not a technical issue but a political one; it should be seen as a right and a means to development.” 

Born on 3 March 1965 in Asmara (an erstwhile part of Ethiopia but is now the capital of another African country Eritrea), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was a very promising student since his early days and received his early education in a local school. Often times, while recapitulating his childhood years Tedros mentions how as a child he was consciously aware of the extreme sufferings and fatalities caused by Malaria. Even though he kept a keen eye on the various diseases breaking out in his country, he also saw his younger brother dying of measles when he was just 3 or 4 years old. Tedros often recalls this incident as something which galvanized him and shaped his perception regarding the importance of global healthcare.

Higher Studies and Career Journey

“I think any position in any international organization should be merit-based.”

To add further to Tedros Adhanom educational journey, he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Asmara in the year 1986. Then in the year of 1992, he completed his Master of Science in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine from the prestigious University of London. At the very outset of 21st century, in the year 2000, he was conferred with a Doctorate of Philosophy in Community Health from the University of Nottingham for his research on the influence of dams in the spread of malaria in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Continuing with Tedros Adhanom Education, in the year 1986, immediately after completing his bachelor’s degree, he became part of the Ministry of Health at Derg as a junior public health expert. He did not stop there and was appointed head of the Tigray Regional Health Bureau in 2001 and state’s deputy health minister in 2003. Then in 2005, he was appointed Minister of Health of Ethiopia which he served for another seven years. In the year 2012, he was elevated further and became Minister of Foreign Affairs until the year 2016. In the subsequent year, in 2017, he announced his run for Director-General of W.H.O which he won with a landslide victory and is currently serving the position and is the first African to reach there.

Global Healthcare Initiatives Led by Tedros Adhanom

“When people are healthy, their families, communities and countries thrive.” 

World leaders always think beyond the present and tirelessly work to inspire the coming generations. These great personalities set out on the paths and expect people to walk alongside them. Apart from the Tedros Adhanom education, here are some of his major initiatives brought forward by him proving his incredible and inspiring leadership and highlight the key issues faced by countries like Ethiopia:

International Health Programs

While he was serving as a Minister of Health in Ethiopia, he was enthusiastically working for various international health initiatives. Under his leadership, Ethiopia became the pioneering country to sign the groundbreaking agreement with International Health Partnership. Tedros Adhanom also led the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.

Revolutionized Family Planning

As a Health Minister, he brought a drastic change with the measures he took about family planning in Ethiopia. Statistics prove there was a steep increase in the use of contraceptives in the country. Trends taken during his tenure show use of contraceptives had made it to more than 60 per cent.

Elimination of Trans-fat

Under his leadership as the Director-General, W.H.O took the major initiative to gradually remove the trans-fat from the global food supply to protect more people from dying because of it. Millions of people die of cardiovascular diseases caused by these acids.

Different AIDS Programs

One of the major achievements to his credit is to mitigate the uncontrolled spread of AIDS in the country. Until he took over Ethiopia had the highest number of AIDS infections in the whole continent of Africa. According to the records provided by HAPCO, HIV cases in the country fell by over 90 per cent.

Combating Coronavirus

Most people came to know about Tedros Adhanom due to the outbreak of Coronavirus infections. Primarily due to numerous measures he took and gathered countries around the world on a single platform to strengthen their resolve to combat the pandemic.

“I promise I will get up every day, determined to make a difference, I am ready to serve.” 

New Strategy of WHO Led by Tedros Adhanom

One year after Dr. Tedros’s election, at the World Health Assembly in 2018, WHO Member States adopted the 13th General Program of Work (GPW 13), a 5 year strategic plan with an emphasis on delivering a measurable impact in countries, to support countries in attaining the health-related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals. The work was started on a new statement, “Promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable” and the ‘triple billion’ targets;

• 1 Billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage
• 1 Billion more people protected from health emergencies
• 1 Billion more people enjoying better health and well-being

Transformation of WHO Led by Tedros Adhanom

Dr. Tedros led the development of a new operating model, aligning the organization’s new structures and ways of working. There are three levels of the organization – Headquarters, Regional Offices, Country Offices. Several divisions were established, including the Division of Science, the Division of Data, and Delivery for Impact and the Division of Emergency of Preparedness.

Recognitions 

Tedros Adhanom is globally recognized as a health scholar, advocate and diplomat with first-hand experience in research, operations and leadership in emergency responses. These awards Include:

• Fellowships from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (2012)
• Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland’s Faculty of Nursing and Midwives (2020)
• Doctorates of Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine at Umea University, Sweden (2018), University of Nottingham and New Castle University (2019)
• Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award in 2011
• Decoration of the Order of Serbian Flag 2016
• Danida Alumni Prize of Denmark’s Danida Fellowship Center in 2017, etc. 

Tedros Adhanom Net Worth 

The seventy-first World Health Assembly establishes the salary of the Director – General at USD 239,755 gross per annum, with a corresponding net salary of USD 173,788.

COVID-19 Latest Update by Tedros Adhanom

Thus, we hope that through this blog on Tedros Adhanom Education and his striking journey as a leader of many global healthcare initiatives you have learnt about his inspiring journey and determination to ensure a safe healthy environment to everybody, mostly to the vulnerable of the people. Aiming to join higher studies in some top-notch educational university? Let the experts at study abroad help you choose the best course and university which can equip you with the requisite exposure and knowledge to thrive in your dream career! Sign up your free 30 minutes of e-counselling with the team now!