Family values are deep-rooted in Azerbaijan, and have been passed down from generation to generation since time immemorial. Care of youngsters, and respect for the elderly are cherished traditions in our country.
The first Medical Forum of the Azerbaijan Youth Organisation of Russia (AYOR) was held in Moscow, for Azerbaijani doctors working in Russia.
The principal reason for the forum, organised by the Ministries of Health, Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan, and the I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University was bolstering the close relationship across many medical spheres between health professionals of both countries. Another reason for the forum was arranging assistance and setting up programmes to help young medical professionals in their medical practice in Azerbaijan.
Mr Emin Gadjiev, a committee member of AYOR, opened the event with a speech in which he spoke of the significance of the event, and expressed his gratitude to the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation & Chair of AYOR, Mrs Leyla Aliyeva, for her support and organisation of the event.
There was then a film presentation which showed the levels to which health care has now risen in Azerbaijan.
The Health Minister of Azerbaijan, Mr Ogtai Shiraliev, opened his participation in the forum by saying that the renowned national leader of Azerbaijan, Mr Heydar Aliyev had always lavished care on the development of healthcare in the country, the formation of a community of health professionals, and the high quality of education among the nation’s health carers. In the present day, the Azerbaijani President, Mr Ilham Aliyev is continuing these policies very effectively, and raising the standards of healthcare in the republic. Thanks to a program undertaken by the government, entitled “The Governmental Program For The Education Of Azerbaijan’s Young People Overseas In The Period 2007-2015”, thousands of talented young Azerbaijanis now receive their education in the most prestigious foreign institutes. “For the past ten years, the volume of state budgetary finance allocated to healthcare in Azerbaijan has increased eleven-fold; more than 500 medical facilities have been constructed or rebuilt. All of these facilities – most of which are located in the country’s regions – are equipped with the very latest technology. Azerbaijan’s population can receive treatment free-of-charge in all of the nation’s medical facilities. The State’s programs for boosting medical care cover even the most complex of medical procedures and technologies. In Azerbaijan there are State medical programs dedicated to kidney failure and diabetes – which are among the world’s most serious medical problems, and which the State takes most seriously. 180,000 people in Azerbaijan who suffer from diabetes receive all their treatment and medications entirely free of charge.”
Mr Ogtai Shiraliev emphasised that the basis of the Medical Forum was to strengthen ties in medical matters between Azerbaijan and Russia – and, most importantly, to raise the level of medical education available to members of the health professions.
Going on to discuss the long-established traditions of cooperation between health professionals of both countries, Mr Polad Bülbülogu – Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Moscow – went on to say that the anniversary had just been celebrated at the First Moscow State Medical University of a person – an ophthalmologist – who gained great authority amongst the Russian medical community, Zarifa Khanum Aliyeva. In the previous year the First Lady of Azerbaijan, and President of the Heydar Aliyeva Foundation, Mehriban Khanum Aliyeva was awarded with the title of Honarary Professor of this most prestigious university.
All of this goes to testify towards the great mutual respect and close cooperation of the medical professionals of both countries. The Ambassador laid emphasis on the great importance the forum held for AYOR, which is headed by the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mrs Leyla Aliyeva. Mr Bülbülogu spoke as follows. “Nowadays Azerbaijan is heading towards the degree of development intended by the President of Azerbaijan, Mr Ilham Aliyev. Azerbaijan now holds a great number of extremely valuable international events, which are attended by prestigious guests from all over the world. During the meetings we have held with Russian representatives at these events they fill me with satisfaction, and underscore the development of Azerbaijan. All of these reforms, of course, are reflected in the sphere of medical care. Both in Baku and the country’s regions there are modern, well-equipped medical facilities. But the most important thing of all, is that these facilities are staffed by highly-trained, educated and talented medical professionals.
The Director of the Centre for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Dr N.N.Blokhin; Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS), and President of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress Mammad Aliyev; corresponding member of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation of the First Moscow State Medical University named after Sechenov Dr Peter Litvitskiy; Academician of Medical Sciences, director of the Medical Research and Education Centre of the Moscow State University Yuri Belenkov in their speeches spoke about the reforms in the health sector in Azerbaijan, saying that the relationship between the health structures of Russia and Azerbaijan enjoys deep roots.
The Forum – in which more than 100 young doctors and 50 other guests took part – continued its work during break-out sessions on topics such as “State policy in the sphere of health care”, “Surgery and Dentistry”, “Staffing Policy In Contemporary Medical Care” and “Medical Care For Mothers & Newborns”.