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February 8, 2005

“Round table” was held in Heydar Aliyev Foundation on talassemia problems

On February 8 "round table" was held on the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation on the theme "For life without talassemia" on talassemia problems.

 

Reps of different international health organizations, diplomatic corps acting in our country, big local and foreign companies, international experts that were invited to the action first saw exhibition on life and activity of nationwide leader of Azerbaijani people, honored blessed memory of great leader.

 

President of Foundation, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, President of Foundation of Friends of Azerbaijani Culture Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva opened the action and greeted participants as well Enver Guliyev, Director of USA Chicago Reproductive Genetics Scientific Research Institute. Informing on Foundation, she said that major goal of Heydar Aliyev Foundation is to propagate services shown by our great leader for Homeland, people, his universal ideas, rich heritage, protect for youth and future generations. One of main directions of all-round functioning of Foundation is attention and care to people in our society needing most of all for help. These are first of all refugee and IDP families, children's homes, children trained at boarding schools and of course, people suffering from different illnesses.

 

Foundation prepared and implemented a number of big projects ("Highest care for children with diabetics", development of children's homes and boarding schools, art exhibition "I love Azerbaijan", meetings with children from refugee and IDP families and etc.) in this direction in short time.

 

Underlining with concrete facts that talassemia is one of hard problems of our country, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva reminded that first information on talassemia was received in Azerbaijan after the fifties of last century. Rate of distribution of gene of talassemia in a number of Azerbaijani districts reaches record figure in the world. Average number of talassemia ills is 8% according to number of population. I mean every 12 resident of our republic carries this pathologic gene. Every year up to 200 big BETA-talassemia ill children is born. Number of big alive talassemia ills is more than 2,000. In reality these numbers could be higher. Because talassemia diagnose is not defined in some remote districts of country and born child does not pass special examination, unfortunately dies in first years of its life and reason of its death is not known.

 

Mrs. Aliyeva said that according to forecast of World Health Organization, if prevention of talassemia is not organized in Azerbaijan in necessary level, number of ills with this illness will reach 16,000 during 45 years and at present time Heydar Aliyev Foundation works on a big program to prevent talassemia. Informing participants on main directions of that program, President of Foundation said that these are to direct attention of community, foreign countries and International Talassemia Federation to analysis of solution of this problem, creation of qualified center and blood bank by Heydar Aliyev Foundation for treatment and diagnostics of talassemia in Azerbaijan, development of volunteer donor service for provision of children suffering from talassemia with secure and qualitative blood, enlightenment of population to prevent distribution of talassemia and forecasting illness through prenatal diagnostics (it belongs to new families particularly), preparation of high-level personnel in country in frame of expansion of cooperation with a number of countries fighting talassemia.

 

Then discussions were held on the subject.

 

Deputy Health Minister Elsever Agayev, Director of USA Chicago Reproductive Genetics Scientific Research Institute Enver Guliyev, Italian Ambassador to Baku Margarita Costa, Director of Scientific Research Hematology and Transphysiology Institute named after B.A.Eyvazov Azad Hajiyev, President of "Savab Dunyasi" Talassemia Association Naila Guliyeva, President of "Barmek" company Huseyn Arabul, Israeli Ambassador to Baku Eytan Naye and MP Vesadet Azizov gave speech, expressed their views on mentioned problem, on enlargement of ties with a number of foreign states fighting talassemia and having already gained positive results such as Italy, Greece and Turkey.

 

Highly valuing this generous initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, speakers stressed that all resources exist now in Azerbaijan to remove this problem. Special attention paid to this issue by Foundation creates certainty that special care will be rendered to children in our country with talassemia, everything will be done that they can have full valuable life like in other countries and integrate to society.

 

Speakers remembered attention and care shown by nationwide leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev to public health, talked of preparation and adoption of respective laws in Azerbaijani parliament. It was emphasized that on the order of President Ilham Aliyev volume of funds allotted this year from state budget for application of new medical technologies and purchase of appliance is lifted 15 times.

 

Completing "round table", Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva said that I consider that we had very important and valuable discussions. Mostly children suffer from talassemia. Even if illness does not know child or adult, pain of children is harder. But there are people in the world that are fully treated from this illness. That is why very big works have to be done and it can be coped with together only. Both state and community, Foundations, rich people can prevent this problem together. And major issue for Heydar Aliyev Foundation is creation of qualified center and blood bank. So, today we took first step together in direction of solution of this problem. Heydar Aliyev Foundation supports every aid in this direction and waits for proposals. Abdullazade were present in actions.


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