The World Health Organization this week announced the appointment of four new goodwill ambassadors, from the fields of sports, politics and community mobilization, to promote healthier lives, stronger health workforces and improved mental health globally.
The new ambassadors are:
Alisson Becker, goalkeeper of the Brazilian national and Liverpool football teams, and Dr Natália Loewe Becker, medical doctor and health advocate from Brazil, as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Health Promotion;
Cynthia Germanotta, President of Born This Way Foundation, which co-founded with her daughter, Lady Gaga, as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for mental health;
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia, as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Workforce.
The announcements were made by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his speech to open the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva.
“I welcome President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Cynthia Germanotta, Alisson Becker and Natália Loewe Becker as WHO’s new Goodwill Ambassadors and look forward to working with them over the coming years,” said Dr Tedros.
“Each of our new ambassadors are champions in their own right, from helping their communities rebuild and develop sustainably, to fighting for better mental health and wellbeing, to being role models for healthier living.”