Hasan Nusret Fişek (21 November 1914 in

Sivas Sivas (Latin and Greek: ''Sebastia'', ''Sebastea'', Σεβάστεια, Σεβαστή, ) is a city in central Turkey and the seat of Sivas Province. The city, which lies at an elevation of in the broad valley of the Kızılırmak river, is a ...

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

- 3 November 1990 in

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

) was a Turkish physician and

Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...

Early years

Nusret Hasan Fişek was born in

Hayrullah Fişek General Hayrullah Fişek (1885–1975) was a career officer in the Ottoman Army (1861–1922), Ottoman Army and the Turkish Army (Captain, Ottoman War Academy, 1904 - rtd. 1945, Major-General (Mirliva)Mahmut Goloğlu, ''Cumhuriyete doğru, 1921-1 ...

, a commander at the

Turkish War of Independence The Turkish War of Independence "War of Liberation", also known figuratively as ''İstiklâl Harbi'' "Independence War" or ''Millî Mücadele'' "National Struggle" (19 May 1919 – 24 July 1923) was a series of military campaigns waged by th ...

, and Mukaddes on November 21, 1914. He had a brother, A. Hicri Fişek. He was registered in

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

. After finishing

Kabataş High School Kabataş may refer to: * Kabataş, Beyoğlu, a quarter in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey ** Kabataş (Istanbul Metro), a funicular railway station * Kabataş, Çine, a village in Aydın Province, Turkey * Kabataş, Kemaliye, a village in Erz ...

in 1932, he studied Medicin at

Istanbul University , image = Istanbul_University_logo.svg , image_size = 200px , latin_name = Universitas Istanbulensis , motto = tr, Tarihten Geleceğe Bilim Köprüsü , mottoeng = Science Bridge from Past to the Future , established = 1453 1846 1933 ...

. In 1938, he graduated with honors. He began his specialization study in Bacteriology at the same university. In 1946, he became a specialist in Biomedicine and Food chemistry (

Biochemistry Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...

). Fişek obtained a

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin language, Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a profes ...

title from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1952. Nusret Fişek married Perihan Rukiye in 1940 (died 2007), who gave birth to two sons, Kurthan (1942-2012), and A. Gürhan (1951-2017).

Professional career

In 1955, Fişek became assistant professor for Biochemistry. He was promoted to full professor of Public Health in 1966. He gained international success for his scientific works on

tetanus toxoid Tetanus vaccine, also known as tetanus toxoid (TT), is a toxoid vaccine used to prevent tetanus. During childhood, five doses are recommended, with a sixth given during adolescence. After three doses, almost everyone is initially immune, but a ...

. He established biochemistry labs and contributed to their improvement. In 1960, still head of the Public Health School, he was appointed undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, and served at this position until 1965. During this time period, he acted also as the minister's

placeholder Placeholder may refer to: Language * Placeholder name, a term or terms referring to something or somebody whose name is not known or, in that particular context, is not significant or relevant. * Filler text, text generated to fill space or provi ...

for a while. In 1963, Fişek took the post of the head of the newly established Institute of Community Medicine at

Hacettepe University Hacettepe University is a leading state university in Ankara, Turkey. It was established on 8 July 1967. It is ranked first among the Turkish universities by URAP in 2021. The university has two main campuses. The first campus is in the old to ...

. From 1983 on, Fişek served six years long as the chairman of the Union of Turkish Physicians. He was member of many professional organizations at domestic and international level. He is the author of a number of scientific publications also in foreign languages.

Death

Nusret Hasan Fişek died in Ankara on November 3, 1990. He was laid to rest at the

Cebeci Asri Cemetery The Cebeci Asri Cemetery ( tr, Cebeci Asri Mezarlığı) is a cemetery located in the Cebeci quarter of central Ankara, Turkey serving multiple religions. It was the first modern burial place in the capital city, and is the final resting place of m ...

in Ankara.

Honors

* ''150th Anniversary Award'' by

Michigan University , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

for his works on

Demography Demography () is the statistics, statistical study of populations, especially human beings. Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and Population dynamics, dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups ...

, * Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) for his works on Socialiaztion of Health. * ''TUBİTAK Bilim ve Hizmet Ödülü (1993)'' by

Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey The Scientific and Technological Research Institution of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK) is a national agency of Turkey whose stated goal is to develop "science, technology and innovation" (STI) policies ...

for his works on Demography and Socialization of Health.

Legacy

Awards Named After Him

* The Chamber of Physicians in Istanbul established the "Prof. Dr. Nusret H. Fişek Public Health Service Promotion Award" in his honor. It is bestowed every year to persons or organizations, which contributed to basic public health service. * Turkish Medical Association established the "Prof. Dr. Nusret H. Fişek Public Health Science and Service Awards" since 1991.

Places Named After Him

Schools

* A vocational high school in Ankara for health science * A study center in Ankara

Avenues

* Adıyaman, Tut İlçesi, Reşadiye Mah. (since 1970, the only one not posthumous) * Ankara, Sıhhiye * Adana, Seyhan * Tekirdağ, Çorlu, Muhittin Mah.

Streets

* İzmir, Alsancak *

Denizli Denizli is an industrial city in the southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about . Denizli is located in the country's Aegean Region. ...

, Saltak * Eskişehir, Odunpazarı, Batıkent

Sağlık Ocakları

* Ankara, Çankaya, Yıldız * İzmir,

Balçova Balçova (pronounced Balchova), is a district of Izmir Province in Turkey. It is one of the eleven districts in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Izmir, the smallest in terms of area. Balçova is a fully urbanized at the rate of 100,0 per cent an ...

, Onur Mah. * İzmir, Balçova, Evka-1 * Manisa, Salihli

Parks

* Ankara, Batıkent

Busts

* Ankara,

(on two halls)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisek, Nusret 1914 births People from Sivas Kabataş Erkek Lisesi alumni Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine alumni 20th-century Turkish physicians Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health alumni Academic staff of Istanbul University Turkish civil servants Turkish public health doctors Academic staff of Hacettepe University Health ministers of Turkey 1990 deaths Burials at Cebeci Asri Cemetery