from thalassemia, hemophilia and blood cancer. Besides this the Heydar Aliyev Foundation also
provided financial aid to the eye-hospital for construction of a new building and operation of
people with low income in Pakhtunkhwa.
In May 2007, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, was
awarded a prize at the 60th Session of the World Health Assembly (the highest body for the
WHO) in Geneva for her contribution to maternal, infant and family healthcare.
The Highest Care for Children with Diabetes Project
The Highest Care for Children with Diabetes Project launched by the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation together with the Azerbaijan Diabetes Society and Novo-Nordisk Company
(
Denmark) in December 2004 was the first step in this area. In the framework of the project,
children below the age of 14 affected by diabetes in Azerbaijan are regularly provided with
insulin and syringe pens for injection.
In the framework of the Highest Care for Children with Diabetes Project, with the view to
providing social and psychological rehabilitation to children affected with pancreatic diabetes in
need for special social care, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation supported the foundation of
recreation centers in Lankaran and Ganja in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
In 2007, as part of the UN promoted Global Diabetes Day Campaign, the Heydar Aliyev
Foundation’s building was illuminated by blue color on November 13-15. Pursuant to the UN
Resolution, November 14 is marked as the World Diabetes Day. The blue color symbolizing the
UN stands for the blue sky over all nations, so this is the color the major buildings in 155
countries partaking in the action are adorned with on this particular day. The action’s goal is to
draw attention of the international community to diabetes constituting a serious health challenge
to global health, and join efforts in preventing this disease.
The Life without Thalassemia Project
With a view to preventing thalassemia prevalent in Azerbaijan, in the framework of the
project launched in February 2005, the Thalassemia Center provided with state-of-the-art
equipment was erected in Baku.
The Center’s start of operation in 2009 enabled to create a specialized medical institution
of this type in Azerbaijan, as well as to establish the blood bank, train highly qualified national
experts, develop the volunteer service to provide the children affected by thalassemia with safe
and high quality blood, increase public awareness in the issues related to preventing further
dissemination of thalassemia and boost up cooperation with a number of states in this field.