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Medicine in Azerbaijan serves to protect the health and prosperity of citizens of the
Republic of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russi ...
. Reforms in the sphere of medical care and the
health care Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
system's direction are parts of a global strategic development program of
economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
and social infrastructure. This program is based on principles of the establishment of a high-life democratic society with a
market economy A market economy is an economic system in which the decisions regarding investment, production, and distribution to the consumers are guided by the price signals created by the forces of supply and demand. The major characteristic of a mark ...
.


Early history

The history of medicine in Azerbaijan has deep roots. Its ancient people believed in
sorcery Sorcery commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), the application of beliefs, rituals or actions employed to manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces ** Goetia, ''Goetia'', magic involving the evocation of spirits ** Witchcraft, the ...
as a way to combat various sicknesses.
Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...
carvings and pictographs in Azykh Cave show evidence of this belief in sorcery. Early people used
medicinal plants Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various functions, including Plant defense against h ...
to treat different sicknesses. Their experience developed into what is known as traditional medicine. The division between the oral and written branches of
traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...
originated with the invention of writing. The rich flora of Azerbaijan has attracted the attention of doctors and scientists from ancient times. A variety of medicinal plants were used for prophylaxis and treatment. The seeds, roots, flowers and leaves of these plants were all used in treatment. Women easily observed the influence of fruits, vegetables and medicinal tea upon the organism and their effects upon the
cough A cough is a sudden expulsion of air through the large breathing passages which can help clear them of fluids, irritants, foreign particles and Microorganism, microbes. As a protective reflex, coughing can be repetitive with the cough reflex fol ...
,
bleeding Bleeding, hemorrhage, haemorrhage or blood loss, is blood escaping from the circulatory system from damaged blood vessels. Bleeding can occur internally, or externally either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, urethr ...
, ache,
diarrhea Diarrhea (American English), also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa (British English), is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements in a day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration d ...
and other illnesses. From ancient manuscripts, it is known that they used not only plants but were also acquainted with
surgery Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery s ...
, treatment of
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
s and setting of broken bones. For instance,
Nariman Narimanov Nariman Karbalayi Najaf oghlu Narimanov (, ; – 19 March 1925) was an Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani Bolsheviks, Bolshevik revolutionary, writer, publicist, politician and statesman. For just over one year, beginning in May 1920, Narimanov headed th ...
found a
human skull The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate. In the human, the skull comprises two prominen ...
dated from the 4th millennium BC (
Eneolithic The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...
) with traces of
trepanning Trepanning, also known as trepanation, trephination, trephining or making a burr hole (the verb ''trepan'' derives from Old French from -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, ...
on it in Erefli village of
Agdam Rayon Aghdam District () is one of the 66 administrative divisions of Azerbaijan. It is located in the west of the country and belongs to the Karabakh Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Khojaly, Kalbajar, Tartar, Khojavend, A ...
. In 1971, archeologist H.Kesemenli found a skull dated from the late
Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
and early
Iron Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
Ages on which a trepanation was performed in Khachbulag village of
Dashkasan Rayon Dashkasan District () is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the west of the country and belongs to the Ganja-Dashkasan Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Goygol, Kalbajar, Gadabay, Shamkir, and the G ...
. R.Gasimova, who investigated the skull, said that “artificial trepanation was performed near junction of parietal and frontal bones”. In 1958, pitchers dated from the 6th century BC with burned rues used as medicine to treat
rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including a ...
,
fever Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with Human body temperature, body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, s ...
and prophylactics of various illnesses were found in Garakepektepe village of
Mugan plain Mughan plain (, مغان دوزو; ) is a plain stretching from northwestern Iran to the southern part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The highest density of irrigation canals is in the section of the Mughan plain which lies in the Republic of Aze ...
during archeological excavations.
Aromatherapy Aromatherapy is a practice based on the use of aromatic materials, including essential oils and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological well-being. It is used as a complementary therapy or as a form of alternative medic ...
was also broadly spread. It was believed that the smell of a
quince The quince (; ''Cydonia oblonga'') is the sole member of the genus ''Cydonia'' in the Malinae subtribe (which contains apples, pears, and other fruits) of the Rosaceae family. It is a deciduous tree that bears hard, aromatic bright golden-yel ...
strengthens the body's energy.
Lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...
was used for adjusting the
nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the complex system, highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its behavior, actions and sense, sensory information by transmitting action potential, signals to and from different parts of its body. Th ...
, and
apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
for stimulation of the brain's work. In ancient times there was an active cultural interchange between Azerbaijanis and residents of
Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...
.
Sesame Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...
oil and
crocus ''Crocus'' (; plural: crocuses or croci) is a genus of seasonal flowering plants in the family Iridaceae (iris family) comprising about 100 species of perennial plant, perennials growing from corms. They are low growing plants, whose flower stem ...
were imported from
Sumer Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...
. There is information about medicinal drugs and medicine in
Avesta The Avesta (, Book Pahlavi: (), Persian language, Persian: ()) is the text corpus of Zoroastrian literature, religious literature of Zoroastrianism. All its texts are composed in the Avestan language and written in the Avestan alphabet. Mod ...
, a sacred book of fire-worshippers and the ancient monument of people of Azerbaijan and
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
. There is also written that “a doctor has three weapons: word, herbs and a knife”. A doctor curing by words and suggestion was considered as the best at that time. Medicine of
Caucasian Albania Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus, mostly in what is now Azerbaijan (where both of its capitals were located). The modern endonyms for the area are ''Aghwank'' and ''Aluank'', among ...
, descendants of which are considered
Azerbaijanis Azerbaijanis (; , ), Azeris (, ), or Azerbaijani Turks (, ) are a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Azerbaijan (Iran), Azerbaijan region of northwestern Iran and the Azerbaijan, Republic of Azerbaijan. They are predomin ...
, was also developing. Medicinal plants were planted there from the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
. Works by
Hippocrates Hippocrates of Kos (; ; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician and philosopher of the Classical Greece, classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referr ...
and Claudius Galenus were popular there because of the spreading of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
and the
Greek language Greek (, ; , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language, constituting an independent Hellenic languages, Hellenic branch within the Indo-European language family. It is native to Greece, Cyprus, Italy (in Calabria and Salento), south ...
. Some knowledge about medicine was taught in religious schools and churches.


Development of medicine in the Middle Ages

In this period, medicine was quickly developing, which is evidenced by archeological findings. For instance, polished marble vessels for
antimony Antimony is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Sb () and atomic number 51. A lustrous grey metal or metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient t ...
and golden brushes for applying it, used as anti-cough and antiemetic medicine in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, were found. Sick men drunk wine from these made of antimony cups. Various glass vessels used for preparation and storage of medicines, which
alchemists Alchemy (from the Arabic word , ) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. In its Western form, alchemy is first ...
used in traditional medicine and
pharmacology Pharmacology is the science of drugs and medications, including a substance's origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic use, and toxicology. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur betwee ...
, were found in
Shamakhi Shamakhi (, ) is a city in Azerbaijan and the administrative centre of the Shamakhi District. The city's estimated population was 31,704. It is famous for its traditional dancers, the Shamakhi Dancers, and also for perhaps giving its name to th ...
during excavations. These findings confirm that people in Azerbaijan were engaged in pharmaceutics in the Middle Ages. According to Farid Alakbarli, a historian, Turkish traditional medicine called “Turkachare” and was similar to
shamanism Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...
and treatment by wizardry and herbs began to be spread in the 4th century AD with the entering of Turkic tribes into Azerbaijan. In Turkish, doctors were called gam, which meant “shaman”, or otachi which meant “herbalist”. Herbals were called ota (ot is herb in translation from Turkic). Goddess ''Oleng'' was considered as the patroness of doctors.
Shirvan Shirvan (from ; ; Tat: ''Şirvan'') is a historical region in the eastern Caucasus, as known in both pre-Islamic Sasanian and Islamic times. Today, the region is an industrially and agriculturally developed part of the Republic of Azerbaijan ...
, where mainly
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
ns and Iranians lived, was occupied by
Arabs Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
. Sciences and culture developed due to the mutual influence of cultures as a part of a single
Caliphate A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
. Universities, observatories, libraries,
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s and hospitals were built. Progress of medicine is observed, namely in the
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
ic period. At that time,
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
, where
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
languages, religion, math, calligraphy, history and literature were taught, functioned in Azerbaijan. Medicine and alchemy were also taught there. “Malham” madrasa in Shamakhi was one of the most famous madrasas of that time. Eminent scientist and doctor Kafiyaddin Omar ibn Osman – uncle of eminent Persian poet Khagani Shirvani – led this educational institution. Copy of “
The Canon of Medicine ''The Canon of Medicine'' () is an encyclopedia of medicine in five books compiled by Avicenna (, ibn Sina) and completed in 1025. It is among the most influential works of its time. It presents an overview of the contemporary medical knowle ...
” work written in Arabic, in 1030, by doctor
Ibn Sina Ibn Sina ( – 22 June 1037), commonly known in the West as Avicenna ( ), was a preeminent philosopher and physician of the Muslim world, flourishing during the Islamic Golden Age, serving in the courts of various Iranian peoples, Iranian ...
, famed in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
as “Avicenna” and who also was in Azerbaijan where he collected information about medicine, was found out in Azerbaijan among other manuscripts about medicine. In his work, Ibn Sina wrote about the Saburkhast settlement in Azerbaijan. This copy of “The Canon” was made in
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
in 1143 and is considered one of the most ancient manuscripts in the sphere of pharmacology and medicine in the world and the most ancient in Azerbaijan. It was broadly used both in the whole
Muslim world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
and in Christian Europe and greatly influenced the development of medicine. There are descriptions of hundreds of medicines in it. The Canon of Medicine ''The Canon of Medicine'' () is an encyclopedia of medicine in five books compiled by Avicenna (, ibn Sina) and completed in 1025. It is among the most influential works of its time. It presents an overview of the contemporary medical knowle ...
” work written in Arabic, in 1030, by doctor
Ibn Sina Ibn Sina ( – 22 June 1037), commonly known in the West as Avicenna ( ), was a preeminent philosopher and physician of the Muslim world, flourishing during the Islamic Golden Age, serving in the courts of various Iranian peoples, Iranian ...
, and made in 1143, in Baghdad. Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan of
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) (, located in Baku, is the main state research organization and the primary body that conducts research and coordinates activities in the fields of science and social sciences in Azerbaijan. It was ...
, in
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
" widths="150px" heights="190px"> Image:IbnSinaCanon1.jpg Image:IbnSinaCanon2.jpg Image:IbnSinaCanon3.jpg Image:IbnSinaCanon4.jpg Bahmanyar al Azerbaijani (died in 1067), a student of Ibn Sina, also famed among scientists of the 11th century. Bahmanyar touched upon issues in medicine in his philosophic work called “at-Tahsil” (“Understanding”). Manuscript copy of “Al-Magala as-Salasun” (“The thirteenth treatise”) written in the 13th century by Abu al-Gasim al-Zahravi, an eminent scientist from
Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...
, who famed in Europe as Abulgasis (died in 1013) also came from Azerbaijan. It is one of the most ancient manuscripts of this book. About 200 surgery instruments had been mentioned in this book. Their assignments also had been explained there. The work influenced the development of surgery both in the
East East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...
and also in Europe. Professor Ziya Bunyadov translated it into
Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...
, and after it was published in
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
in 1983. Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan of
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) (, located in Baku, is the main state research organization and the primary body that conducts research and coordinates activities in the fields of science and social sciences in Azerbaijan. It was ...
, in
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
" widths="150px" heights="190px"> Image:Salasun1.jpg Image:Salasun4.jpg Image:Salasun3.jpg Image:Salasun2.jpg
Medieval doctors warned sick people against tiredness. For example, Mahmud ibn Ilyas, a doctor who lived in the 12th century, advised nervous people to listen to
mugham Mugham () or Mughamat () is one of the many classical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrasting with tasnif and ashik. It is an art form that weds classical poetry and musical improvisation in specific local modes. Mugham is a modal system. ...
. Medicine was strongly developing in the 13th century in the
Great Seljuq Empire The Seljuk Empire, or the Great Seljuk Empire, was a high medieval, culturally Turco-Persian, Sunni Muslim empire, established and ruled by the Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. The empire spanned a total area of from Anatolia and the Levant in t ...
of Azerbaijani Atabegs. Almost every eastern scientist and philosopher had work in medicine. Residents from different oblasts of Azerbaijan compiled, rewrote and investigated books in medicine, including monuments of the 14th-18th centuries. There are more than four hundred manuscripts in medicine in Azerbaijani, Arabic, Persian and Turkish languages, both written in the territory of modern Azerbaijan and brought from different oblasts in the Muhammad Fuzuli Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan of
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) (, located in Baku, is the main state research organization and the primary body that conducts research and coordinates activities in the fields of science and social sciences in Azerbaijan. It was ...
in
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
. According to
Kōichirō Matsuura is a Japanese diplomat. He is the former Director-General of UNESCO. He was first elected in 1999 to a six-year term and reelected on 12 October 2005 for four years, following a reform instituted by the 29th session of the General Conference. In ...
, the former Director-General of
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
, “this collection shows the role of Azerbaijan in the development of world medicine”. “Zahirai Nizamshahi”, written by Rustam Jurjani in the 13th century, was also partly investigated in Azerbaijan. Its manuscript had been copied in the 16th century, is saved in the Baku Institute of Manuscripts. There were descriptions of pharmaceutical herbs, substances of animal origin, minerals and some complex medicines are included in it. The manuscript has not been found in any other storage of the world and exists in only exemplar in Azerbaijan. Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan of
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) (, located in Baku, is the main state research organization and the primary body that conducts research and coordinates activities in the fields of science and social sciences in Azerbaijan. It was ...
, in
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
" widths="150px" heights="190px"> Image:Nizamshahi.jpg Image:Nizamshahi2.jpg Image:Nizamshahi3.jpg Image:Nizamshahi4.jpg
“About treatment science” work by Mahmud ibn Ilyas (the 14th century) in which fundamental ideas of medicine, symptoms and reasons of specific illnesses are described also famed. Yusif Garabaghi, an Azerbaijani doctor of the 16th century, who came from
Karabakh Karabakh ( ; ) is a geographic region in southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras. It is divided into three regions: Highland Kara ...
, wrote many medicine treatises and also “Explanations and interpretations of “The Canon of Medicine” by Ibn Sina”. He lived in
Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...
for a long time and taught in
Samarkand Samarkand ( ; Uzbek language, Uzbek and Tajik language, Tajik: Самарқанд / Samarqand, ) is a city in southeastern Uzbekistan and among the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central As ...
. Mir Muhammad Momin, palatial figure at Suleyman the
Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
, wrote several instructive works in Persian, including “Tohfat al Mominin” in 1669. Descriptions of more than 4000 plants, animals, minerals and other ingredients used in medicine were written in the work. Momin described each plant, its specific characteristic, where it can be picked, other oblasts where it is used, and its name in other languages such as Chinese and
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
in detail. In 1712, Muhammad Yusif Shirvani wrote “Tibbname” in the Azerbaijani language. Being a palatial doctor, Shirvani advised using natural minerals for treatment, for example, rubbing an orange peel for tiredness in the neck. In this work, it's also written that the resting place of sick men should be decorated with flowers in light-blue, green, and white tints. It means that even color had great importance in the works of medieval healers. Generally, in the 17th-18th centuries, a number of works had been written in the sphere of medicine and pharmacology by Azerbaijani scientists such as Murtuzagulu Shamlu ( sexual pathologist), Abdulhasan Maraghai, pharmacologists such as Hasan Rza oglu Shirvani, Haji Suleyman Iravani, and others. 724 kinds of medicinal plants were described.


Development of medicine in the 19th and early 20th century

In the early 19th century when northern
khanates A khanate ( ) or khaganate refers to historic polities ruled by a khan, khagan, khatun, or khanum. Khanates were typically nomadic Mongol and Turkic or Tatar societies located on the Eurasian Steppe, and politically equivalent in status to k ...
of Azerbaijan (
Shirvan Shirvan (from ; ; Tat: ''Şirvan'') is a historical region in the eastern Caucasus, as known in both pre-Islamic Sasanian and Islamic times. Today, the region is an industrially and agriculturally developed part of the Republic of Azerbaijan ...
,
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
, Nakhchivan,
Quba Quba () is a city and the administrative centre of the Quba District (Azerbaijan), Quba District of Azerbaijan. The city lies on the north-eastern slopes of Mount Shahdagh, Shahdag mountain, at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, on the ...
, Talysh,
Karabakh Karabakh ( ; ) is a geographic region in southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras. It is divided into three regions: Highland Kara ...
, Shaki, Derbend and other) were joined to
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and the southern (
Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...
,
Khoy Khoy (, ) is a city in the Central District (Khoy County), Central District of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan province, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Occupied since Medes, Median times, ...
,
Ardabil Ardabil (, ) is a city in northwestern Iran. It is in the Central District (Ardabil County), Central District of Ardabil County, Ardabil province, Ardabil province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. The ...
and others) ones to Iran, Azerbaijani community in Iran continued to exist under the influence of Persian and generally, the whole
Islamic culture Islamic cultures or Muslim cultures refers to the historic cultural practices that developed among the various peoples living in the Muslim world. These practices, while not always religious in nature, are generally influenced by aspects of Islam ...
, but Azerbaijani community in the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
(later the
USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
) was developing under the influence of Europeanized secular Russian culture (mainly in the Soviet times). Medicine in two regions was developing in two different ways. There was no European-like pharmacy in Azerbaijan until 1828. During the reign of the Russian such hospitals and pharmacies were established in Azerbaijan as in the whole
South Caucasus The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and West Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Armenia, ...
, where Russian doctors applied their skills. Abdulkhalig Akhundov founded the basis of scientific investigation in the
history of medicine The history of medicine is both a study of medicine throughout history as well as a multidisciplinary field of study that seeks to explore and understand medical practices, both past and present, throughout human societies. The history of med ...
in Azerbaijan. Abdulkhalig studied and translated the famous pharmaceutics encyclopedia written by Abu Mansur Kharavi in the 9th century from Persian into
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
. After, the book was published in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. Abdulkhalig Akhundov also defended a dissertation in the history of medicine at the
University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; ; ) is a public research university located in the city of Tartu, Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is also the largest and oldest university in the country.
. In 1895, Dr.Mammad Rza Vakilov, Dr.Kerimbey Mehmandarov and others established Baku Union of Medicine. Hasan bey Zardabi and
Mirza Fatali Akhundov Mirza Fatali Akhundov, also known as Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, or Mirza Fath-Ali Akhundzadeh (12 July 1812 – 9 March 1878), was a celebrated Iranian Azerbaijanis, Iranian Azerbaijani Akhundov was one of the firsts who acted against traditional healers. He was the author of works about
hygiene Hygiene is a set of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases." Personal hygiene refer ...
and
sanitary Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation systems ...
. Zardabi also had an important role in the development of medicine. He was the first Azerbaijani in the sphere of
natural history Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...
and
Social Darwinism Charles Darwin, after whom social Darwinism is named Social Darwinism is a body of pseudoscientific theories and societal practices that purport to apply biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to sociology, economi ...
. Being the author of “ Akinchi” – the first Azerbaijani newspaper in the Russian Empire – Zardabi, together with Akhundov worked upon works about
malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
devastated the country at that time. His “Hygiene” book is the first scientific research work about medicine in the sphere of hygiene in Azerbaijan. It was published in 1914, in Azerbaijan. Sometimes doctors gave gratuitous help to sick men. During
cholera Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
devastation in Nakhchivan, in 1847, Mirza Nasrulla Mirza Ali oglu gratuitously treated both Azerbaijani and
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
sick men, due to which he was respected among people. Alongside all these, pharmacies where herbs imported from Iran and
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
were sold, were also functioning at that time. Such pharmacies were in every city of Azerbaijan – Baku, Shamakhi,
Shusha Shusha (, ) or Shushi () is a city in Azerbaijan, in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Situated at an altitude of 1,400–1,800 metres (4,600–5,900 ft) in the Karabakh mountains, the city was a mountain resort in the Soviet Union, Soviet ...
,
Aghdam Aghdam () is a town and the nominal capital of the Aghdam District of Azerbaijan. Founded in the 18th century, it was granted city status in 1828 and grew considerably during the Soviet period. Aghdam lies from Stepanakert at the eastern foot ...
, Nakhchivan,
Lahij Lahij or Lahej (), formerly called Al-Hawtah, is a city and an area located between Ta'izz and Aden in Yemen. From the 18th to the 20th century, its rulers were of the Abdali branch of the Al-Sallami tribe who trace their lineage to one of the 1 ...
,
Ordubad Ordubad is the second largest city of Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and the capital of an eponymous district. Ordubad is a medieval city of the Caucasus and in its current capacity of a town was founded in the 18th century. The town ...
, Salyan,
Lankaran Lankaran (, ) or Lánkon () is a city in Azerbaijan, on the coast of the Caspian Sea, near the southern border with Iran. As of 2021, the city had a population of 89,300. It is next to, but independent of, Lankaran District. The city forms a disti ...
etc. Mir-Baba Mir-Abdulla oglu, father of eminent Azerbaijani literary man
Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli (), also spelled Chemenzeminli, born Yusif Mirbaba oghlu Vazirov (12 September 1887 – 3 January 1943) was an Azerbaijani statesman and writer known for his novels, short stories, essays, and diaries. image:Baku man ...
had a pharmacy in Aghdam. 142 kinds of medicines, more than 100 of which were made of herbs, were sold in his pharmacy. Chamanzaminli himself, being the son of the pharmacist, described everyday life and practices of Azerbaijani healers of the 19th century in his narrative called “The Doctor”. Such pharmacies were mainly in Iranian (Southern) Azerbaijan. At the beginning of the 20th century, treatment by herbs was enough to spread the method of treatment in Azerbaijan. But healers perceived the appearance of new, modern medicines as something strange. “ Molla Nasraddin” – popular Azerbaijani magazine of that time, which was of great importance in medicine education, criticized such kinds of remains of the past, ridiculed backwardness of healers-evils of that time, their ignorant treatment of modern knowledge in medicine. For instance, a caricature called “Holy Bukhara” (painted by Azim Azimzade) was given in the 20th issue of the magazine (1911). Here the image of
Bukhara Bukhara ( ) is the List of cities in Uzbekistan, seventh-largest city in Uzbekistan by population, with 280,187 residents . It is the capital of Bukhara Region. People have inhabited the region around Bukhara for at least five millennia, and t ...
emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...
, doubtfully treating recommendations of the doctor about a new medicine.


Medicine in Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

In 1918, the Ministry of health-care led by Dr.Rafiyev was established in the independent
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (), also known as the Azerbaijan People's Republic (; ), was the first secular democracy, democratic republic in the Turkic peoples, Turkic and Muslim worlds. *Tadeusz Swietochowski. ''Russia and Azerbaijan: ...
. Dozens of new pharmacies and hospitals were opened in Baku and
Ganja ''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...
at that time. Many students of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic sent for educating abroad, mainly to Germany,
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
, Moscow,
Kiev Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
and other cities, learned medicine there. In 1919,
Baku State University Baku State University (BSU) (BDU; ) is a public university located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Established on 1 September 1919 by the Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the university started with faculties of history and philology, physics ...
with a medicine faculty was established in Baku. Professor V.I.Razumovskiy, an eminent surgeon, became its first chairman (until 1920). History of medicine was also taught there. Razumovskiy established the First Preparatory Commission for a short period of time. Admission examinations were held in August of the same year and so the first course of students – future doctors – was collected. On August 2, 1922, there were only three Azerbaijanis – A.Alakbarov, Jeyran Sultanova, and Adliya Shahtakhtinskaya-Babayeva, who became the Doctor of Sciences and Professor – among the first 29 alumni of medicine faculty.


Medicine in the Azerbaijan SSR

After establishment of the Soviet Power, during the 1920s, pharmacies, where herbs were sold, were closed, and manuscripts written with
Arabic alphabet The Arabic alphabet, or the Arabic abjad, is the Arabic script as specifically codified for writing the Arabic language. It is a unicase, unicameral script written from right-to-left in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters, of which most ...
were burned. It was a part of the Soviet Power's policy carried out against
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
(mainly in Azerbaijan and Central Asia). Nariman Narimanov, who also was a doctor, was the leader of a newly established administration. From 1920 to 1921 Aghahuseyn Kazimov and then in 1935 Mir Movsum Gadirly were national commissars of health-care in the Azerbaijan SSR. In 1930, Azerbaijan State Medical Institute was established and M.N.Gadirly was its first rector. Eminent scientists and professors such as I.Shirokorogov, S.Davidenkov, F.Ilyin, Lev Levin, N.Ushinkiy, k.Malinovskiy and others had a great contribution to the development of the institute. Scientists such as M.Mirgasimov, M.A.Topchubashov, A.M.Aliyev, I.M.Ismayilzade, and others graduated from this institute, who then brought Azerbaijani medical science fame. Generally, from 1920 to 1940 hundreds of polyclinics, hospitals and pharmacies were established in Azerbaijan. Academicians such as Mirasadulla Mirgasimov and Mustafa Topchubashov, and professors such as Alibey Alibeyov, Kamil Balakishiyev, and others were world-famous scientists and doctors of Azerbaijan.


Medicine in the Republic of Azerbaijan

In the first years of independence, the situation in healthcare was very bad in Azerbaijan. The government could keep the healthcare system standing just with the support of international organizations. The necessary medical equipment, lack of medicine was a great problem. A new stage in the development of medicine began after Azerbaijan acquired independence. More than 10 laws were established in the sphere of health-care. In March 1998,
Heydar Aliyev Heydar Alirza oghlu Aliyev (10 May 1923 – 12 December 2003) was an Azerbaijani politician who was a Soviet party boss in the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 1969 to 1982, and the third president of Azerbaijan from October 1993 to ...
, former president of Azerbaijan, signed a direction “About establishment of State Committee of reforms in the sphere of health-care”. Unique state policy was established in the country and the quality of medical service of the population was also improved.As soon as healthcare programs which were included repair and rehabilitation of medical institutions, providing them with equipment, provision and treatment of citizens with free medicines and preparations, diagnostic centers in the regions, in particular coverage of children with all medical services were accepted. Today medical centers and modern pharmaceutics industry of Azerbaijan is created at a level of world standards. A national plan against illnesses such as
HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
and
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
is developed in the country. In 2001, a direction about the celebration of June 17 as a holiday of healthcare employers was signed. In 2004, Azerbaijani Association of Medicine Historians which was included in the International Union of the History of Medicine headquartered in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, in 2005, was established. The First National Conference of the Association was held on February 1–2 of the same year in Baku. In recent years Heydar Aliyev Foundation has launched a number of projects on the treatment of diabetes, thalassemia, blood donation campaigns, and the protection of maternal and child health. About 870 private medical companies and 2,300 pharmaceutical organizations operate in Azerbaijan. The Health system in modern Azerbaijan includes mainly primary healthcare, outpatient, and inpatient services. In 2012–2013, 11 priority healthcare programs with a total amount of 387.7 million manat were implemented in the country. In 2013 the amount of funds allocated to the healthcare system from the state budget has been increased 11 times compared to 2003. On the basis of this growth, up to 500 healthcare facilities were created or renewed. The range of the most important medicine supply has been increased from 60 to 166. Over the past 10 years, the mortality rates have decreased; the natural population grows increased. Within the framework of the "Health Month" disease prevention campaign organized by the Ministry of Health in December in 2012 under the slogan "For a Healthy Life” medical institutions that carry out prophylactic examinations have been provided with the necessary equipment and reagents, 3 million patients were checked and treated accordingly. M. Topchubashov Scientific Surgery Center carried out open heart surgery for adults and children for the first time in these years. In the Republican Clinical Urology Hospital named after M. Javadzade kidney transplantation has been started in early 2000. In order to treat patients with chronic renal failure, more than 2,000 patients are receiving hemodialysis sessions in 27 centers and are provided with appropriate medications. Measures have been taken to improve the quality of medical services provided to mothers and children. If the infant mortality rate in the country was 16.7 in 2003. In 2013 this figure was 10.8. The maternal mortality ratio decreased from 18.5 to 14.9, compared to 2003. According to the Law "On Education", the training of physicians in the country is carried out through residency, accepted in the medical education system of most countries of the world. In 2012 about 500 doctors were admitted to residency in various specialties passing through the State Commission on Student Admission. Besides, in 2009–2012, 451 doctors and midwives have been trained in private and state clinics in foreign countries for 3–6 months. Refresher training sessions were organized in Baku with the participation of specialists from different countries and 1363 participants have gained practical knowledge in these training sessions. Since 2003, 12 relevant decisions have been established to increase the salaries of medical workers. Within the framework of the "Electronic Azerbaijan" State Program "Citizen's Electronic Health Card" has been launched. There are currently about 10 registrars of various diseases, a single registry of cadres, an electronic surveillance system of infectious diseases, drug circulation, a dispatching service of an emergency medical station, and others. The Ministry of Health has provided 38 e-services. The "Electronic Services" section has been created on the official website of the Ministry and there are 11 electronic services. The Ministry of Health cooperates with about 40 countries. In addition, the Sanitation and Epidemiological Service Development Program for 2015-2020 has been developed, which took appropriate measures to prevent infectious diseases. An Action Plan covering 2013–2020 on combating non-infectious diseases (such as
tobacco smoking Tobacco smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the resulting smoke. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. The practice is believed to hav ...
,
obesity Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess Adipose tissue, body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classifi ...
, physical activity,
alcohol use disorder Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
, etc.) and National Action Plan on Early Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Disorders (2014-2020) have been implemented. In 2009, a new approach was introduced which seeks to define the number and type of staff needed in the system based on demographic criteria. In July 2009, the government issued a new law on education. Within the framework of the law on education the Ministry of Health had to prepare a draft law on medical education by October 2009. The Azerbaijan Medical University is the only provider of undergraduate medical education in the country. Several unlicensed private medical schools operated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but they all were closed by the Ministry of Education by 2005. In 2013 about 1020 medical students are enrolled annually in 8 departments. The Department of Human Resources, Education and Science of Ministry of Health, organizing the planning of health staff, provides data on vacancies in health facilities. In accordance with data on vacancies the Ministry of Health asks the Azerbaijan Medical University to provide them with medical staff. The University sends graduates to the relevant specialty internships. The planning of nursing and midlevel healthcare personnel also follows the same process. Since February 1, 2008 governmental medical institutions show a gratuitous medical aid to population, by a direction signed by Ogtay Shirinov, a minister of health-hare of Azerbaijan. In November, 2009, Azerbaijani doctors performed the first operation in
heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...
for prevention of
arrhythmia Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, are irregularities in the cardiac cycle, heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. Essentially, this is anything but normal sinus rhythm. A resting heart rate that is too fast – ab ...
. 43 new hospitals and diagnostic centers, 46 outpatient polyclinics, 4 restoration centers for disabled persons and 12 diagnostics and health centers were put into operation during the last years. 30 medical institutions and 5 polyclinics are to be constructed in 2013. Indicators of longevity and birth rate have improved because of the development of the medicine in the country.


Medical training

There are eight nursing schools in
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
which closely cooperate with the Ministry of Health. Being a
nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
does not require higher education. Candidates may become a nurse by graduating from a nurse training school. Graduated nurses are presented with vocational diplomas. In 2008, the total annual admission to all nursing schools was 1950. Postdiploma education for nurses is provided through three nursing schools located in Baku, Ganja and Mingechevir. Depending on the specialty, refresher trainings are required every five years. The course duration is from five days to two months. In 2008, approximately 2200 nurses completed these trainings.
Physicians A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...
should participate in refresher trainings every five years that organized by the Azerbaijan Physicians’ Advancement Institute. In 2008, more than 2700 physicians attended various refresher trainings organized by Institute. At the same time international organizations such as UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, USAID, etc. also organized and funded various trainings on maternal child care, primary care and emergency medicine, family planning and reproductive health, primary care and public health, and others. The trainings lasted from 22 months to 30 months depending on specialty profile.


Sanitary-Epidemiological Service

Public health services are provided by different agencies, including the Sanitary-Epidemiological Service, Public Health and Reforms Center of the Ministry of Health, the National HIV/AIDS Center and other structures. The Sanitary Epidemiological Service defines sanitary and hygienic norms and regulations include drinking water, sanitation, living and workspace hygiene, food hygiene such as production, distribution, storage, sale and handling of food products, occupational and environmental hygiene, and radiation hygiene. The activity of the Service also include control over state sanitary surveillance and epidemiological investigation, social-hygienic monitoring, preventing and eliminating infectious and parasitic diseases and food poisoning, planning sanitary-hygienic and anti-epidemic activities, reviewing the sanitary-epidemiological situation, controlling quality of environment, physical development of and morbidity among the population, implementing programs on health of the population. The Sanitary Epidemiological Service consists of two structures: Sanitary Epidemiological Surveillance Inspection Service and Hygiene and Epidemiology Center. The first one controls the activity of the specialized hygiene and epidemiology centers as well as carries out implementation of state sanitary surveillance. Hygiene and Epidemiology Center provides organizational-methodological supervision in about 83 district and city. The Center is responsible for the hygiene and epidemiology of water transport.


Pharmaceutical sector

Since 2006 Pharmaceutical sector operates actively. This sector is adjusted on the laws on pharmaceutical activity and products, circulation of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors, establishment and activity of a pharmacy, analytical expertise center for medicines, rules for state registration of Pharmaceuticals and management of drug registry, list of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. Between 1996 and 2005 pharmaceuticals were registered and given license by the Department of Licensing and Medical Equipment of the Ministry of Health. In 2005 the Innovation and Supply Center was established to check the quality of medicines, as well as to ensure healthcare organizations with medicines. The Center also license pharmaceutical entities. Pirallahi Industrial Park of Azerbaijan may become an important center for the local production of pharmaceuticals.


References


External links


Medicine in Azerbaijan. A Brief Historical Overview. By Dr. Nigar Efendiyeva





Farid Alakbarli. Medicine in ancient and medieval Azerbaijan

Средневековые рукописи по медицине и аптечному делу


{{Azerbaijan topics Health in Azerbaijan Science and technology in Azerbaijan