Leyla Aliyeva, Chairwoman of Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Russia (AYOR), and Head of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Russia Delegation, together with Polad Bulbuloghlu, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia, visited the Scientific Surgery Centre of Russia named after academician B.V.Petrovski, where they met with the administration of this leading medical institution of the country. 

During their meeting with the Director of the Centre Sergey Dzemeshkevich, discussions were held on training of medical personnel, the exchange of experience and specialists, and opportunities for cooperation in holding joint initiatives and events. Leila Aliyeva met residents and post graduates at the Centre after the meeting - they presented her with a letter of gratitude for her support for their initiative.   
 
After the talks Mrs Aliyeva presented the Centre's museum with a collection of CDs by Rafig Babayev - the well-known Azerbaijani composer & pianist – which have been released by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. 
 
Mrs Alieva was shown round an exhibition at the Centre devoted to the work of professor B.Petrovski, the outstanding soviet and Russian surgeon, full member of USSR Academy of Sciences, who in 1957 was granted the title of ‘Honoured Scientist of Azerbaijan’.
 
The AYOR Chairwoman was shown the kidney and liver transplantation section, where she met with Jamal Bekirov, an 11-year-old Azeri from Nizhniy Novgorod – who has been treated here due to funds made available by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.  
 
On the same day, a conference opened on the struggle against HIV/AIDS  at the I.M.Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy. Jointly organized by the AYOR medical section, the Azeri Embassy to Russia and UNAIDS, the Conference aims at youth awareness on HIV/infection and preventing the disease. 
 
Welcoming the participants of the Conference, Leila Aliyeva mentioned the theme of the event is one of the most painful and serious problems of young people today, and this conference will help inform the youth about danger of AIDS. She provided statistical information on the spread of this disease among young people. Mrs Aliyeva said: ‘AIDS is one of the most serious problems in healthcare and finding a solution to it is urgent. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation pays great attention to health issues in Azerbaijan. Several modern medical centers have been built in Azerbaijan on the Fund's initiative - there is also active cooperation with the International Diabetes Federation. Great attention is paid to the fight with such dangerous diseases as thalassemia. In the field of health the Heydar Aliyev Foundation actively cooperates with international organizations such as UNESCO, ISESCO, and UNAIDS. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan mass vaccination were held against diseases such as measles, German measles. The ‘Children's Rainbow’ project was implemented this Spring to assure awareness of Azerbaijan's population about AIDS.’     
 
The Head of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Russia Office stressed that AYOR attaches great importance to health issues, and holds charity events regularly. The ‘Make Sure You Are Healthy. Say No To Disease’ project has given our countrymen the chance to be examined free of charge, and the donor event ‘Blood Has No Nation’ is held annually Mrs Aliyeva said that AYOR regional offices do a lot to inform young people of the danger of AIDS and its prevention, along with information about the harm done by drugs, tobacco and alcohol.  
 
Mrs Aliyeva concluded her speech by saying ‘We greatly value a healthy lifestyle, along with sport initiatives from our young people. Today’s conference is an equally important project about the awareness of the danger of AIDS. I hope our efforts will increase young people's awareness and save many lives. It all means that the work we're doing is very necessary - and we must continue working in this direction’. She thanked all the attendees of the Conference and especially those actively involved in the health sphere.
 
Polad Bulbuloghlu, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia, expressed gratitude to Leyla Aliyeva for the attention she and her organization devote to youth and health problems, and talked about significance of the Conference for young generation. 
 
UNAIDS Directors for Russia and Azerbaijan Denis Y.Brun and Professor Hagigat Gedirova gave lectures on the state of HIV-infection globally, including Russia and Azerbaijan. Aytaj Aliyeva, a student of the Medical Academy gave details of the AYOR’s plans to fight AIDS and events to be undertaken in this struggle in Moscow and other regions of Russia. 
 
Booklets were distributed at the end of the event.