Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the meeting with staff of the Azerbaijan State Doctors Improvement Institute named after Aziz Aliyev

- I congratulate you on the opening of the Doctors Improvement Institute after major overhaul! It is a remarkable event. The building has been renovated wonderfully and now meets the latest requirements.

I remember receiving a report some time ago that this institution is in dire need of repair. I immediately issued the order to allocate funds, and the institute acquired a new appearance in a short time. A wonderful, bright and comfortable building has been created. There are excellent and modern conditions for those working here and those improving their skills. This is very gratifying.

I am happy to see construction and reconstruction of any medical institution. Especially this one. Because it bears the name of my grandfather Aziz Aliyev since 1962. He was the rector of this institute. He has contributed a lot to this institute and to the creation of wonderful traditions here.

Aziz Aliyev was a qualified doctor, organizer and statesman. His many-sided activity was appreciated both in and outside Azerbaijan. During World War II, in the early 1940s, he was sent to Dagestan where he worked as leader of the republic. His work there is still remembered by those who knew and heard of him. He was a wonderful, humble and benevolent man. Of course, he has put a lot of work in the development of medicine in Azerbaijan, the improvement of our healthcare system.
This institute has a very important function, a huge role to play. Doctors improve their knowledge here. They should do.

This is a great need for that. Especially now, when wide-ranging healthcare reforms are under way in Azerbaijan, new excellent medical facilities are opening.

Today alone, I have taken part in the opening of this fine institution and, earlier, I attended the reopening of the Children’s Neurological Hospital after renovation. The diagnostic center is also ready for opening after renovation.

We can say that a new medical facility is either opened or renovated in one Azerbaijani region every month. Both in the regions and in Baku, we are updating and strengthening our entire medical infrastructure, material and technical base, building new hospitals, importing new equipment. The equipment installed in Azerbaijani hospitals now is not inferior to the equipment of leading clinics around the world. The professionalism of people working with this equipment must be upgraded.

Today, the world's medicine is undergoing extensive development and progress. Previously incurable diseases are now cured. Our doctors need to improve their knowledge too. We should strengthen international ties. Experts from foreign medical centers must be invited to lecture at the Institute. As far as I know, this process has already begun. We need to make sure that Azerbaijani doctors work in line with the existing modern facilities. We must be able to work with new equipment in the new environment and know medical innovations. Patients should be provided with excellent services.
This institution plays an important role in deepening the healthcare reform in Azerbaijan. By improving their skills here, doctors work more successfully and professionally at their hospitals.

Our healthcare reforms are praised not only in Azerbaijan but also in the world. This assessment was voiced at a major event held by the World Health Organization in Baku recently. The statistics also show this. Infant and maternal mortality is reducing, while life expectancy is rising. Of course, there are various contributors to that. Medical services and care are among key important contributors to life expectancy in developed countries. In Azerbaijan, these indicators are also improving. We need to make them even better. Therefore, correct diagnosis and regular checkups are highly important. We must do out best for the treatment and recovery of people.

The government of Azerbaijan keeps these issues in the spotlight. Our health expenditure grows every year. But I must admit that it is not at the desired level yet, so we should further increase it. We still lag behind developed countries in this regard. But we will eliminate this gap gradually. As our financial and material resources grow, we will, of course, invest more in the health sector. But if we draw a comparison, we see that over the past few years the funds allocated to health have grown dramatically. The main task is to use these funds efficiently, strengthen the infrastructure, the material and technical base, so that services and professionalism are at an appropriate level. As for modern equipment, we will continue importing the most sophisticated facilities to Azerbaijan.

I want to congratulate you again on this wonderful event. You know better than me about the earlier situation here. About two years ago I examined the situation and saw that it was intolerable and there was a need for repair. I wanted the repairs to be carried out at a high level.

I am sure that you are just as happy with the new conditions. There are excellent working conditions here now.

I am sure you will work well and lead Azerbaijani public health forward. Congratulations again!