Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Ethiopian public health official (born 1965)
Why this is trending
Interest in “Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-24.
Categorised under Science & Nature, this article fits a familiar pattern. Interest in science articles on Wikipedia often follows major discoveries, published studies, or tech industry news.
By monitoring millions of daily Wikipedia page views, GlyphSignal helps you spot cultural moments as they happen and understand the stories behind the numbers.
Key Takeaways
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ge'ez: ቴዎድሮስ አድሓኖም ገብረኢየሱስ , sometimes spelled ቴድሮስ ኣድሓኖም ገብረየሱስ ; born 3 March 1965) is an Ethiopian public health official, researcher, diplomat, and the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2017.
- Tedros played a role in the response to the Ebola virus epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022–2023 mpox outbreak.
- Tedros was included in Time ' s 100 Most Influential People of 2020.
- His family originated from the Enderta awrajja of Tigray.
- Tedros recalled that as a child he was very aware of the suffering and death caused by malaria.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ge'ez: ቴዎድሮስ አድሓኖም ገብረኢየሱስ, sometimes spelled ቴድሮስ ኣድሓኖም ገብረየሱስ; born 3 March 1965) is an Ethiopian public health official, researcher, diplomat, and the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2017. He is the first African to become WHO Director-General, receiving an endorsement for the role by the African Union. Tedros played a role in the response to the Ebola virus epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022–2023 mpox outbreak.
Prior to serving as Director-General, he held two high-level positions in the government of Ethiopia: Minister of Health from 2005 to 2012 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2016. Tedros was included in Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.
Early life and education
Tedros was born in Asmara to Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Melashu Weldegabir. His family originated from the Enderta awrajja of Tigray. The name "Ghebreyesus" is from his grandfather, and is not their family name. Tedros recalled that as a child he was very aware of the suffering and death caused by malaria. His younger brother died at the age of three or four years, possibly of a preventable disease like measles, which Tedros often discusses as a defining personal experience in regards to the need for global healthcare.
In 1986, Tedros received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Asmara. He studied at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and was awarded a Master of Science degree in immunology of infectious diseases from the University of London in 1992. In 2000, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in community health from the University of Nottingham for research on the effects of dams on malaria transmission in the Tigray region.
Content sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0
