Geneva, Switzerland – Former Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf along with three others, have been appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to serve as Goodwill Ambassadors for promoting global health. The three othres are Alisson Becker, goalkeeper of the Brazilian national football team and Liverpool Football Club in England; Dr. Natalia Loewe Becker, medical doctor and health advocate from Brazil; and Cynthia Germanotta, President of Born This Way Foundation, which was co-founded with her daughter, American musician Lady Gaga.
The appointments, which cut across different sectors like sports, politics and community mobilization, were made on the basis of promoting healthier lives, stronger health workforces and improved mental health globally.
The Director-General of WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement in his speech at the opening of the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva, Germany on Monday.
“I welcome President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Cynthia Germanotta, Alisson Becker and Natália Lowee Becker as WHO’s new Goodwill Ambassadors and look forward to working with them over the coming years,” he said.
“Each of our new ambassadors are champions in their own right, from helping their community rebuild and develop sustainably, to fighting for better mental health and well-being, to being role model for healthier living,” Dr. Ghebreyesus added.
