Today marks the 102nd anniversary of the birth of Zarifa Aziz gizi Aliyeva, a prominent scientist of Azerbaijan, Honored Scientist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Full Member of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences.

“EDnews” reminds that Zarifa Aliyeva was born on April 28, 1923 in the Sharur district of Nakhchivan.

The scientist's significant works, which are the successful result of her long-term research on topical issues of ophthalmology, have always been appreciated and highly valued.

The new and effective treatment methods and complex preventive measures proposed in these studies have been successfully widely applied in a short time. The specialized scientific research laboratory, as the first research center of the ophthalmology school in Azerbaijan, was established precisely on the initiative of academician Zarifa Aliyeva.

Zarifa Aliyeva, who has always kept medical ethics in the center of attention throughout her scientific and pedagogical activities, has devoted herself to the preparation of highly qualified personnel in the republic and has formed a great generation of young scientists and ophthalmologists.

In 1947, she graduated from the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after N. Narimanov. She worked as a research assistant at the Azerbaijan Scientific Research Institute of Ophthalmology, and since 1969, as an associate professor of the department of eye diseases, professor, head of the laboratory of occupational pathology of the organs of vision, and head of the department of ophthalmology (1982-1985) at the Azerbaijan Institute of Advanced Training of Doctors named after A. Aliyev.

Z. Aliyeva has made exceptional contributions to the development of ophthalmology in Azerbaijan. She is one of the first in the world to study trachoma, which was once widespread in Azerbaijan, and to study, prevent and treat eye diseases related to professional activities, especially in the chemical and electronic industries, as well as to modern problems of ophthalmology, including one of the authors of many significant studies, including such rare scientific works as “Therapeutic ophthalmology”, “Fundamentals of iridodiagnostics”, 12 monographs, textbooks and teaching aids, about 150 scientific works, 1 invention and 12 rationalization proposals. Z. Aliyeva has made great efforts to train highly qualified healthcare personnel.

Academician Zarifa Aliyeva was a member of the Presidium of the All-Union Society of Ophthalmologists, the Soviet Peacekeeping Committee, the Board of Directors of the Azerbaijan Ophthalmological Society, and the editorial board of the journal "Vestnik oftalmologii" (Moscow).

In 1981, she was awarded the M.I. Averbakh Prize of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences for her high scientific achievements.

Z. Aliyeva married the future head of state Heydar Aliyev in 1954. From this marriage, Sevil Aliyeva was born in 1955, and Ilham Aliyev in 1961.

Zarifa Aliyeva, who died in Moscow on April 15, 1985, was brought to Baku from Moscow's Novo-Devichye cemetery in 1994 and buried next to her father in the Alley of Honor.

Fatima Mardanlı //EDnews