Turkish National Pediatric Society mourns the passing of Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu on March 7, 2026. The global pediatrics community has lost a great human being, and the Turkish National Pediatric Society has lost its most important cornerstone. Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu was a leader who dedicated his life and efforts to the advancement of not only the treatment of diseases but also the promotion of child health and well-being nationally and internationally.

Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu was born in 1946 in Erbil, to which he has always been attached, missed, worked for and where he was widely respected and reputable. In 1969 he graduated from İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, and in 1973 he completed his residency training in pediatrics at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics in Ankara, Türkiye. Afterwards, he went to the University of Glasgow, Royal Hospital for Sick Children for his fellowship training in pediatric nephrology. He was among the pioneers of pediatric nephrology in Europe. He was appointed as Professor of Pediatrics in 1984 at Erciyes University. Thereafter, his efforts were not only devoted to preventing and treating children’s diseases as a pediatrician, but also to the development of medical and higher education.

He served as the Dean of Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine (1984-1988) and Gazi University Faculty of Medicine (1988-1992). He also served as the Head of the Department of Pediatrics and made significant contributions to the development of the Departments of Pediatrics, Pediatric Nephrology, and Adult Nephrology within the Faculty of Medicine. He was appointed the Rector of Gazi University (1992-2000), where his great efforts led to the construction of the first modern hospital of the Faculty. During his tenure as Rector, he served as a member of the Higher Education Council’s Medicine and Health Committee for two years. He also served as the Vice President of Bilkent University Board of Trustees and the President of the International Children’s Center.

He was a member of the Turkish Higher Education Council from 2006 to 2010. During his membership in the Higher Education Council, he put great effort into establishing new scientific pediatric subspecialties in Türkiye . His efforts in education and training of pediatricians was not only limited to within Türkiye. His leadership roles in regional and international organizations enabled him to extend these efforts to the international pediatrics community worldwide.

Prof. Hasanoğlu was Secretary General of the Union of National Pediatric Societies of Turkic Republics (UNPSTR) since 1993, a member of the UNICEF Turkey National Committee Board of Directors since 1993, President of the Turkish National Pediatric Society (1999-2001), Secretary General of the Turkish National Pediatric Society since 2003, Secretary General of the Union of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Pediatric Societies (UMEMPS) since 2008, Member of Standing Committee of the International Pediatrics Association (IPA) since 2007, and Member of the Executive Committee of IPA Foundation. He worked with the mission of IPA for more than 20 years through participation in different committees of IPA in several countries worldwide.

For over 100 years, the IPA has been the only global institution representing the professional communities of pediatricians; it includes 168 pediatric societies operating in the field of child health across 149 countries and seven regional pediatric associations representing all regions of the world. In this context, as the largest child health institution in the world, the IPA represents more than one million pediatricians serving to improve the health of over one billion children and provides leadership in child health issues. Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu was elected President of the IPA at the General Assembly held in Panama in March 2019, attended by delegates from all member countries. Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu became the second Turkish physician elected to this position, 30 years after Prof. Dr. İhsan Doğramacı.

He served as IPA president for the 2021-2023 term. During his presidency, he made significant efforts to solve the problems of children worldwide and to inform pediatricians about these issues. He worked on topics such as vaccine hesitancy, climate change, malnutrition, children’s rights, and preventive medicine. He led the Refugee Children Project (2015-2019), supported by IPAF, focusing on inclusion, support and well-being, at a time Türkiye was hosting the largest number of refugees—approximately four million, almost half of whom were children.

Prof. Hasanoğlu was a member of European Dialysis and Transplantation Association (EDTA), Middle East Societies for Organ Transplantation (MESOT), European Society for Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN), Turkish Nephrology and Hypertension Association, and served as the President of Azerbaijan-Turkish Foundation. Azerbaijan State Medical University (Baku), Macedonian St. Climent Ohridski University and Romanian Ovidius University awarded Prof. Hasanoğlu awarded him honorary doctorates. He was also an honorary member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Honorary Professor at the Russian Scientific Center of Children’s Health.

Prof. Hasanoğlu was the administrator of the Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, was a member of the editorial boards of Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Dergisi (Journal of Child Health and Diseases), Türkiye Klinikleri (Turkish Clinics), Journal of the Greek Paediatric Society, Journal of Romanian Pediatric Society, and Asian Journal of Pediatric Practice.

Prof. Hasanoglu authored more than 200 publications in English and Turkish, primarily in the fields of pediatrics and nephrology.

He married Prof. Dr. Alev Hasanoğlu in 1974, whom he met during his pediatrics residency at Hacettepe University. Prof. Dr. Alev Hasanoğlu was always his greatest supporter. This 52-year union was marked by achievements in the medicine, academia, administration, the national and international scientific arenas, and leadership. Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu was the beloved father of Başak and Kerem, and the beloved grandfather of Can and Kaan.

Besides Turkish and English, he spoke Arabic fluently and frequently shared the original verses by renowned poets. He had a deep interest in history; you could always find him reading and learning until his final days. He was a devoted listener of Turkish classical music and an avid reader, often reading several books simultaneously.

With his leadership, scientific approach, dedication to education, determined stance, and his rich cultural and intellectual background, Prof. Dr. Enver Hasanoğlu played a significant role in the development of the Turkish National Pediatric Society, where he has served as President and later as Secretary General, as well as the development of pediatrics and pediatricians in Türkiye and around the world.

He was a true teacher, he was a visionary pioneer, he was a renowned guide.