Viatcheslav Grankov, a medical doctor by profession, had worked for over 15 years as a doctor and health-care manager when he decided to pursue a master’s degree in public health. That decision brought him to the picturesque southern Swedish town of Lund. A few twists and turns later, he joined WHO’s Country Office in Minsk, Belarus, in 2016 as a National Professional Officer working on communicable diseases, focusing on HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis. When not working, he hosts dinner parties according to all rules of etiquette, or adds yet another book to his impressive home library.
What brought you to WHO?
I did an internship in 2015 at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, Denmark, while pursuing my master’s degree at Lund University. The Regional Office was easily accessible by a train crossing the Oresund Bridge that links Sweden to Denmark. I learned a lot about WHO’s work, and I met so many professionals! I was really inspired. Just before my graduation, I applied for a position with WHO as a National Professional Officer at the Country Office in Belarus. I went through the recruitment process and was selected! I have now worked in the Country Office for 5 years and have never regretted my choice. I’m really proud, without wanting to sound the least bit pretentious, to be part of WHO. I’m passionate about my work and the work we are doing, and about WHO’s vision and values.
How has your work affected others?
Working in medicine, you can obviously make a positive difference in individual patients’ lives, which is amazingly satisfying. But at a certain point, I reached the conclusion that there are so many other public health factors of great importance! How the health system is organized, how it’s functioning, how it’s financed, how service delivery is organized, etc. All these factors influence how doctors are able to work, as well as patient care and the lives of patients’ families. As a public health professional, I can impact populations on a wider level – on national, regional and global levels – and bring about change for the better for so many more people.
Give us an example.
Not that long ago, antiretroviral treatment for HIV patients wasn’t universal in Belarus, meaning only some people had access to treatment. Then, a new policy was implemented in Belarus, following WHO’s recommendations on treating all patients in need – and this change meant thousands were able to access therapy. This is what I mean about having a larger impact. And HIV treatment is just one example. For several years now, we have been providing free-of-charge, state-funded treatment for people living with hepatitis C. It’s a condition that can severely damage the liver, but that can be totally cured with 3 months of therapy, allowing the patient to forget about the disease. Thanks to a policy, more than 10 000 people have been successfully treated since 2018, meaning they won’t get liver cirrhosis or liver cancer, or transmit the disease to others! Moments like this are very important. And it’s not only about access to treatment, but also working so that patients get access to the best treatment.
We’ve talked about better health for others, but what about you? How do you stay healthy?
It’s rather inevitable to be aware of the recommendations we as WHO produce. Fruits, vegetables, a balanced diet, exercise … and I have never smoked or even tried a cigarette. I never had the desire. I try to have a good night’s sleep with enough hours in a darkened bedroom. These are very basic, “boring” tips. Also, I’m not a runner but I enjoy walking. And what I’ve noticed recently is that I’m a fast walker. Family and friends often shout at me, asking why I walk so fast, telling me to slow down! I hadn’t even realized. I found some really interesting information on the topic – apparently some studies say that one’s walk reveals a lot about one’s personality. Fast walkers are apparently considered extroverts, conscientious and open to new adventures. I have no idea if that’s true, but I find it funny and it certainly applies to me!
What recharges your fast-walking battery?
Apart from doing activities that can give you meaning or purpose, life is also about doing things that bring you pleasure, and about staying positive and being grateful for each day. These sound like big, grandiose words, but when you fortify your days with affirmative, positive thinking, it really affects your mindset. I try to do this actively, every day. The saying about the need to “stop to smell the roses” has great symbolic value: it’s about taking a moment to pause and become aware of the good things in your life.
I also have two important passions: reading, and hosting dinner parties. The latter naturally suffered enormously during the pandemic. I have quite a library at home; I’ve been collecting books all my life – in English, French, Russian and Belarusian, from the 17th century onwards – and I hope I’ll find the time to start cataloguing them at some point. It’s a bit of an obsession, but then again, it’s not a harmful obsession. And my library comes in handy for my second passion: dinner parties. I am passionate about setting the table according to all rules of etiquette; picking out fine china, glasses, cutlery, name plates; serving several courses – the whole works. It takes a lot of effort, but it’s such a pleasure. My favourite dish, which I serve quite often, is wild mushroom soup. It’s delicious and suits both meat eaters and vegetarians. For my dinners, I usually pick a theme from the books in my library, putting some of them on thematic display and preparing a fun quiz to serve as the basis for a discussion.
That prompts 2 obvious questions. First, what is the most recent book you’ve read?
It’s called “Lady in Waiting” by Anne Glenconner – it’s the book that no one expected to become a bestseller. She used to be Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Margaret. It’s an extraordinary story of her life, about the British royal family, but also about the personal tragedies she experienced. Her life was not an ordinary one and she experienced unbelievable things. It was also interesting to discover many public health-related issues in this book, such as HIV, hepatitis C, drug addiction, methadone substitution therapy, mental health issues … the book was absolutely captivating, and I was unable to put it down!
Second, who would you invite to one of your dinner parties for a discussion?
I would say Barack Obama. I’m very impressed by his personality, and also by that of his wife, Michelle. I would invite them both. They seem very approachable and easy to talk to, despite being very famous. I support their vision, and their honest, open work in tackling issues such as discrimination, inequality, public health access for people … I believe we would have a lot to talk about.
Fact box – WHO Country Office in Belarus
- Number of staff: 7
- Operating since: 1994
- Key focus areas: COVID-19 response; noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors, including tobacco and salt; communicable diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis; antimicrobial resistance; immunization; access to essential medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and devices; digital health; cancer screening; mental health; health systems; primary health care
- 2 WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance (STEPS) surveys on the prevalence of major NCD risk factors have been conducted in Belarus (2016 and 2020).
- Belarus received a WHO certificate validating the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 2016 and has maintained this status since.
- The country’s first WHO collaborating centre – the first-ever WHO collaborating centre on new tuberculosis drugs – was inaugurated and officially opened in Belarus in 2019.