Dr Gaya Gamhewage

Public health and policy expert, MD, Director of Communications @WHO. #HealthForAll

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

Smoking is the number 1 preventable cause of cancer worldwide.

Did you know it is linked to at least 15 different cancers, not just the lung.

Once you kick this dangerous habit, you drastically reduce your cancer risk.

Commit and quit!

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

What are cataracts? https://t.co/Nsv5QYnp79 via @YouTube

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Your daily dose: the power to prevent many cancers is already in our hands https://t.co/Xwy2OBvEfS via @YouTube

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

Every year, millions of people hear the words 'you have cancer.' Yet 4 in 10 cases can be avoided by saying no to tobacco, limiting alcohol, and getting vaccinated.
Watch daily dose.

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

GLP-1 therapies are changing #obesity care. What does WHO recommend?

Here’s what you need to know.

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

@WHO bring hope and essential life-giving care to critically ill patients. Thanks to @WHO_Europe member states who have opened received them.

[Hans Kluge @hans_kluge]

We did it – together!

With the latest medical evacuations, 17 Member States of @WHO_Europe have now received more than 1,000 critically ill patients from #Gaza, most of them children.

I am deeply grateful to Albania, Belgium, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan.

This milestone reflects the strength of solidarity and compassion in action. My sincere thanks also go to all transit countries that facilitated these evacuations and our partners including @eu_echo & my @WHO colleagues, whose joint efforts bring hope to those who need it most.

Every journey tells a story of courage and humanity. Explore our photo story on medical evacuations >> https://t.co/SVWTdP9aFX

#HealthForAll

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Little Maria is one of many of
patients already medically evacuated by @WHO. But tragically 15,000 patients need treatment outside Gaza, including 4000 children. More than 700 have died while waiting for evacuation. Thank you to the 20 countries who have already helped.

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

Little Maria is one of the seven patients from #Gaza, who arrived in #Switzerland today for specialised medical care needed to treat their injuries. They arrived with 27 companions.

The patients and companions were evacuated from Gaza yesterday by @WHO.

I thank @SwissMFA and @EDA_DFAE for their generosity and solidarity.

I call on more countries to receive patients, who urgently need treatment they cannot get in Gaza.

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

📣 Join our press conference on global health issues hosted by WHO Director-General @DrTedros today at 15.00 CEST (Geneva time)!

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

@DrTedros Public health wins! I remember when Ebola was a death sentence. Congratulations to DRC govt., and its partners including community and volunteers, and our amazing colleagues @WHO who have developed the systems, the science, and the coordinated response to make this happen.

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Another win for public health. It takes a massive response - epidemiologists, clinicians, scientists, logisticians, community volunteers, vaccinators, religious leaders and families to bring this deadly epidemic under control. But we need sustained investment for public health in all countries.

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

The last patient with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (#DRC) has recovered and been discharged. This marks a major step forward and begins a 42-day countdown to declaring the outbreak over.
Read the news here: https://t.co/s5f8oOi8kV

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Menopause is still not openly talked about. Women are much more than our reproductive function. We have health, psychological and social challenges as we navigate Menopause. @WHO highlights this important phase in our lives.

[United Nations @UN]

Menopause is a natural stage in women’s lives, marking the end of their reproductive years.

On Saturday’s #WorldMenopauseDay, @WHO highlights the importance of understanding menopause and its impact on women's health. https://t.co/T6HTWPbxJz

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Attacks on health care must stop. Our colleagues put themselves in harm‘s way everyday to bring life-saving health care in humanitarian crises and disease outbreaks. Raise your voice. Find the latest data on attacks on health care here https://t.co/TH466B5zEd

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

The @WHOUkraine team came under attack yesterday while on a mission with a @UN convoy. Our staff are safe and still managed to deliver medical supplies to city of Bilozerka. Two @WFP trucks were damaged.

We cannot repeat loudly and often enough that humanitarians are #NotATarget. Attacks on humanitarians MUST END.

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

A billion people are living with mental health conditions across the world. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in people aged 15-29. Talking openly about mental health is important. Behind the scenes @WHO social media live yesterday.

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

LIVE: Let’s talk #MentalHealth. Send us your questions using #AskWHO https://t.co/fXhZI8RGmM

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Thanks to the thousands of you who joined @WHO social media live on the mental health. It was my first time hosting. Your questions and insights made me realise just how important this conversation is.

Let’s talk #MentalHealth https://t.co/OzWUyVKeNn via @YouTube

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

People sometimes ask me what @WHO does. Well, here’s the answer. We are often working silently in the background to support countries protect the health of their people. What��s better than protecting mothers and babies from deadly diseases?
https://t.co/hhjRYIY53m

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

Since the ceasefire took effect in #Gaza, @WHO teams have been scaling up our operations. So far, we have:
-Deployed an emergency medical team within 24h to boost surgical and emergency care at Al-Ahli Hospital, with more deployments planned in Gaza City as people begin to return.
-Brought 8 trucks of medical supplies into Gaza, including insulin, lab supplies, and essential medicines.
-Reached European Gaza Hospital to retrieve cancer and other life-saving medications and intensive care unit equipment, including incubators, mechanical ventilators, and patient monitors. Equipment and medicines were transferred to Nasser Hospital.

Improvement in access to health facilities and the ability to expand our missions are crucial first steps in providing immediate health support to Palestinians across Gaza.

The beginning of the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees brings hope for all those who have suffered over the past two years.

This week’s developments mark an important step in the right direction. We are ready to substantially expand our work to save lives and restore health services.

Gaza’s health system must be rehabilitated and rebuilt. This crisis gives us the opportunity to rebuild it better: stronger, fairer and centered on people’s needs.

The best medicine is peace.

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Today, I think back to how as a girls we struggled - to be seen as people with agency, for our education, to be free from violence, to shed stereotypes, to love family AND want a career, to have grown ups take our health needs seriously. @WHO tackles mental and physical health risks so girls can have the strength to fulfil their ambitions.

[Dr Gaya Gamhewage @GayaG]

Excited to step into my new role as Director Communications a.i. At @WHO. Communications work today is filled with not only with complexity, traps, landmines; but also, with opportunities for us to protect and promote people's health. I am reminded that even in this later stage of my career, how wonderful it is to reconnect so strongly to the mission of WHO, and champion my first and most enduring love - public health.

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Abebe Bikila, an #Ethiopian, made history by becoming the first black African to win gold in the men’s marathon.

Not only that, he ran barefoot and broke the world record.

Abebe Bikila inspired generations of runners, from Africa and around the world.

That’s the power of sport: the power to inspire, and the power to change.

#Paris2024