Dr. P.Helena Makela M.D.,Ph.D.

Dr. P. Helena Makela, M.D., Ph.D., research Professor Emerita, National Public Health Institute of Finland. Her most important work is related to Hemophilus Influenza type B – Hib conjugated vaccine to prevent invasive disease in young children. The Hib conjugated vaccine has been used in the national infant immunzation program in the U.S.A., Canada and several European countries in each of them nearly eliminating meningitis, and is now being extended to children in developing countries. The annual number of deaths preventable through global inclusion of Hib vaccine in infant immunization programs has been estimated at approximately 300,000. Dr.Makela has also developed a vaccine for pneumonia using the Pneumococcas pneumonia potentially reducing 1.1 – 1.4 million deaths annually.