The new head of the World Health Organization caused a backlash by handing Zimbabwe's despotic leader a role. Why did he make such a misstep, wonders Luke Allen

It turns out that a week is a long time in international health leadership. At a conference on non-communicable diseases, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, named Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe as the WHO’s latest “goodwill ambassador“.

Following international uproar, the accolade – granted to promote the tackling of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa – was revoked five days later. The debacle showed both misguided good intention and the importance of internal communication.

Tedros, the first non-medic and African to hold the WHO’s top job, is generally well-regarded. Elected in May, he has a strong record …