President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva sends letter of congratulations to participants of the 61st Session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Europe
The 61st Session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Europe started at Gulustan Palace in Baku, September 12.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the Session.
In the 3-day Session, health ministers and representatives of other state agencies from more than 50 countries, including Director General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan and WHO Regional Director for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab will discuss the fight with various diseases and public health.
The event is held in Azerbaijan not by chance. Important reforms have recently been held in the country in the health system. A number of international organizations, inducing the WHO Regional Committee for Europe officials have confirmed the successful achievements gained in Azerbaijan’s health sector and recommended a number of European countries to take use of Azerbaijan’s experience in this sphere.
Funds allotted in Azerbaijan’s state budget to the development of the health system increase, new modern medical centers are built and reconstructed in the country. Development of the health system is a priority to Heydar Aliyev Foundation too. The Foundation pays great attention to family, mother and baby health protection. Necessary programmes and projects carried out in the sphere on the initiative of the Foundation’s President Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva make huge contributions to the development of healthcare in Azerbaijan.
President Ilham Aliyev received a warm welcome in the ceremony.
He delivered a speech at the Session.
The President also met with foreign participants of the event.
Azerbaijan`s Health Minister Ogtay Shiraliyev was elected a Chairman of the Session.
O.Shiraliyev read out the letter of congratulations by Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP, to participants of the Session. The letter says:
Dear guests!
I sincerely welcome you all in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. I would like to wish you all a long life, good health and success. I hope that the session running in our country will end with the adoption of important documents in the healthcare system and have a positive impact on the formation of a new health policy of the European countries in the 21st century.
This session of the Regional Committee coincides with the 20th anniversary of state independence of our republic. Over the past years, healthcare in Azerbaijan has passed a long way of development and achieved successes in fundamental and dynamic renovation of the medical institutions’ logistics, and establishment of state-of-the-art health centers, as well as the private sector.
An extensive work was carried out to address the problems associated with infectious diseases, diabetes, hemophilia and other issues related to human health, as a part of the state programmes effectively implemented in Azerbaijan. I hope your familiarization with our healthcare system will create a solid foundation for future cooperation.
In a globalizing world, the interaction of many factors, determining the health of people, with economic and social development requires development of a new strategy for cooperation of state agencies, private sector and civil society, by presenting us with new challenges. Accordingly, the Foundation, which I lead, began to implement large-scale projects in healthcare from the first day of its establishment. Our long-term cooperation with a number of leading healthcare companies and humanitarian funds bears its fruits.
I believe the policy consistently pursued by the World Health Organization with a view to achieve the development goals of the third millennium will further serve to mobilize the existing potential in our country and achieve health development through various means, including, successful activities of the Regional Committee.
Best Regards,
Mehriban Aliyeva,
President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation