February 3, 2012

Humanitarian action held in Southern Sudan at the initiative of Vice-President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva

The Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Russia (AYOR) in partnership with the I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University held a humanitarian charity action in Southern Sudan under the support of the Russian Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and UNAIDS. The initiative belongs to President of AYOR, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs Leyla Aliyeva.


A group of young volunteers from the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M.Sechenov and representatives of AYOR held a charity mission from 22 to 28 January in Southern Sudan’s capital Juba. The purpose was to provide a medical help to the people in Southern Sudan.


Health is the most serious problem in Sudan. About 75% of the population has no access to the most basic medical care. Southern Sudan has one of the worst rates in the world in the field of health. On average, every 7 pregnant woman die in pregnancy here, while every 10 baby under the age of 1. Malnutrition, intestinal infections, malaria are common diseases in this African country.


In Juba, volunteer physicians provided outpatient care to more than 75 patients, who mainly complained of abdominal pain, fever, had signs of intestinal infections, malaria, dysentery, pneumonia, and pregnant women with complications due to concomitant diseases. All of them were given all necessary medical care and appropriate recommendations. Also, doctors delivered lectures on the prevention and treatment of diseases in this country, informed local population of hygienic standards, taught them observing these standards, preventing epidemic diseases, also preventing and fighting AIDS.


Head of the Stomatology and Orthodontia Department at the I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Doctor of Medicine, Professor Adil Mammadov conducted several surgeries for patients with maxillofacial pathology. His assistant was physician from Red Cross Society Joye Rubana. A.Mammadov expressed astonishment at the lack of any specialized medical personnel in this country, general state of hospitals, technical equipment in the surgical room, the level of medical staff. ‘We had only one desire – to help them, to teach them’, said the Professor. Highly valuing the high initiative of the group of volunteers, Mr Mammadov said: ‘We all were thinking of the goals of this visit, suggesting and discussing the ways to the settlement of the tasks set. This initiative was realized by AYOR. Of course, if not its financial support, we could not accomplish this project. For this, we express gratitude to Mrs Leyla Aliyeva.’


At the local church, the delegation met with the youth. Attendees of the meeting organized due to support of UNAIDS put questions on various themes, exchanged different gifts, keepsakes, magazines. The delegation visited a local school as well, presented pupils with paintings by Russian children, and Sudanese children sent Russian children pictures painted by them.


The volunteers’ team included curator of the I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University for the work with foreign students Gulsina Maliyukova, doctoral candidate of the University, Candidate of Medicine Samir Aliyev, second-year student at the clinical studies of the University Yusuf Ocoola as well.