Pekka Puska (born 18 December 1945 in

Vaasa Vaasa (; sv, Vasa, , Sweden ), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki ( sv, Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),

) is a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

physician, docent and politician. Puska held the position of Director General of the

National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL, fi, Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos, sv, Institutet för hälsa och välfärd; until 2019, National Institute for Health and Welfare) is a Finnish research and development institute operating ...

in 2009–2013. THL was formed following the merging of

National Public Health Institute of Finland The National Public Health Institute of Finland (KTL, fi, Kansanterveyslaitos, sv, Folkhälsoinstitutet) was a research and expert institute under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health charged with the task of protecting and promoting health ...

(KTL), and the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES). Dr. Puska headed KTL from 2003 to 2009. Puska is a Member of Parliament (

Eduskunta The Parliament of Finland ( ; ) is the unicameral and supreme legislature of Finland, founded on 9 May 1906. In accordance with the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to the people, and that power is vested in the Parliament. Th ...

) since 2017 and was previously a Member of Parliament in 1987–1991. Puska is a

Docent The title of docent is conferred by some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks at or below the full professor rank, similar to a British readership, a French " ''maître de conf ...

for

University of Helsinki The University of Helsinki ( fi, Helsingin yliopisto, sv, Helsingfors universitet, abbreviated UH) is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku (in Swedish ''Åbo'') in 1640 as the R ...

and

University of Eastern Finland The University of Eastern Finland ( fi, Itä-Suomen yliopisto) is a university in Finland founded in 2010 with campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio. History The Finnish Parliament passed the Universities Act on June 16, 2009, which, among other thin ...

. Dr. Puska is considered to have had a significant influence on Finnish public health research and practice for several decades. He spearheaded the North Karelia Project (as Director and Principal Investigator) for preventing cardiovascular disease 1972–1977, during which time cardiovascular disease mortality amongst men fell by 80 per cent. Puska worked as a director for NCD prevention and health promotion at the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...

(WHO) Headquarters in 2001–2003. In 2006 he was the Finnish candidate for the Director-General post of WHO. From 2010 to 2013 he was Chancellor of the

University of Turku sv, Åbo universitet , latin_name = Universitas Aboensis , image_name = University of Turku.svg , motto = ''Vapaan kansan lahja vapaalle tieteelle'' , established = 1920 , type ...

. He also currently holds the position of President o
World Heart Federation
(WHF) and that of Vice-President of th
International Association of Public Health Institutes
(IANPHI).

References

External links

*
Presentation on the National Public Health Institutes webpage
1945 births Living people People from Vaasa Centre Party (Finland) politicians Members of the Parliament of Finland (1987–91) Members of the Parliament of Finland (2015–19) Finnish public health doctors Chancellors of the University of Turku Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare – {{Finland-med-bio-stub