F. Nur Baran Aksakal

Dr.Baran Aksakal is an MD and Public Health Specialist with a MSc degree in Environmental Medicine. She has graduated as an MD from Hacettepe University Faculty Medicine (English branch) in 1997 and completed her residency in Gazi University Department of Public Health receiving a degree of Public Health Specialist in 2001. She worked in 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 nation-wide routine immunization programmes -being responsible for Hepatitis B Control and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Programme- and several supportive immunization campaigns in Turkey including Measles SIAs covering approximately 20 million 6 months to 16 years of age children. She has worked closely with WHO-EURO with respect to Vaccine Preventable Infections (VPIs) control. Since early 2004, she has been continuing her academic investigations and studies in Gazi University Department of Public Health. She has worked for WHO-EURO on immunization-related areas mainly on training of health professionals [Mid-Level Manager (MLM) Trainings on Immunization] and consultancy in establishing Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Surveillance systems in Eastern European countries. She has also worked in WHO-Euro Office in Copenhagen, Denmark as a short-term Professional (STP) in 2006. She currently acts as a member of several national scientific committees including National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) and National Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI). She also acts as a member of WHO- EURO, European Technical Advisory Group of Experts (ETAGE) on Immunization since 2016. Currently she has focused her work on life-course immunization, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine communication. Dr.Baran Aksakal is a Full Professor of Public Health and the Head of the Environmental Health Division of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Department of Public Health.