Professor F. Nur Baran Aksakal

Professor Aksakal is Head of the Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of Public Health and lectures in several areas of Public Health, mainly on life-course immunization, communicable diseases epidemiology, control of infectious diseases and environmental health. She is also involved in field training of trainers for health personnel.

She worked in the Ministry of Health of Turkey, Department of Communicable Diseases and Control of Epidemics as a public health specialist and Unit Head for Control of Epidemics and Surveillance between 2001 and 2004. She also acted as the Secretary of National Immunization Advisory Committe. There she worked in establishment of the National Surveillance System for Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI). She actively participated in the preparation and conduction of nationwide routine immunization programmes – being responsible for the Hepatitis B Control and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Programme – and several supportive immunization campaigns in Turkey.

Since early 2004, Professor Aksakal has been continuing her academic investigations and studies in Gazi University Department of Public Health. She has also worked for WHO/Europe on immunization-related areas mainly on training of health professionals and consultancy in establishing AEFI systems. She currently acts as a member of several national advisory committees, including the National Immunization Advisory Committee and National AEFI Scientific Committee. She has technical and scientific expertise in introduction of new vaccines and establishing and evaluation of AEFI surveillance systems.