Today, on April 28, the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Honored Scientist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Ophthalmologist-Scientist, outstanding doctor and academician Zarifa Aliyeva, who made great contributions to the medical science of Azerbaijan with her knowledge and skills, will be completed.

    Zarifa Aziz Gizi Aliyeva was born on April 28, 1923 in the village of Shahtakhti, Sharur District, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. His father Aziz Aliyev worked in many important positions, including rector, minister, secretary of the Central Committee, first deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR, and gained great reputation with his high intelligence and organizational skills. His ups and downs life path was a real school for his children. Mrs. Zarifa, who grew up in such a family, naturally stood out from others with her diligence, responsibility, kindness, and nobility. The noble characteristics of this generation and family, such as intellectuality, loyalty to the people and the Motherland, were also transmitted to Mrs. Zarifa. In 1942, he was admitted to the Faculty of Treatment and Prevention of the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute and graduated with excellent grades. He went to Moscow to learn the profession of ophthalmology more deeply, and took a professional training course at the All-Union Central Physicians' Training Institute.

    Eye diseases, including trachoma, were widespread in Azerbaijan in the 1940s and 1950s. It was necessary to save people from this disease, as well as to conduct fundamental research on occupational eye diseases, which are another urgent problem, to develop their effective treatment methods and preventive measures. Zarifa Aliyeva returned to her homeland from Moscow at such a time and in 1949 began working as a researcher at the Azerbaijan Scientific-Research Institute of Eye Diseases.

Not long after, Ms. Zarifa achieved successful results in the application of syntomycin in the early stages of trachoma. As a conclusion of his studies, in 1959, he defended his candidate's thesis on "Treatment of trachoma with synthomycin in combination with other therapeutic methods". The treatment method proposed by him soon found a wide experimental application, and as a result, trachoma was eliminated as a disease in the republic.

   Since 1967, Zarifa Aliyeva, who has been working at the Department of Ophthalmology of the Azerbaijan State Medical Training Institute, rose to the positions of associate professor, professor, head of the department, and conducts multi-profile researches dedicated to the current problems of ophthalmology. Among these problems, diagnosis, treatment of glaucoma and inflammation of the visual organ have a special place. His attention is drawn to the scientifically under-researched field of ophthalmology - occupational pathology of the eye. Ms. Zarifa was the first researcher in this field. For the first time in the world, he created a scientific-research laboratory investigating the occupational pathology of the organ of vision and laid the foundation of a new direction in the world of science - occupational ophthalmology.

In this laboratory, which was organized at the Baku household air conditioners factory, in addition to scientific research work, the treatment of employees of large industrial enterprises was also carried out. Ms. Zarifa Aliyeva, summarizing the preliminary results of her research, defended her doctoral dissertation in Moscow on the topic "The condition of the visual organ in workers of the chemical industry of Azerbaijan". In 1977, Ms. Zarifa was awarded the degree of doctor of medical sciences.

    In 1981, academician Zarifa Aliyeva was awarded the M.I. Averbakh Award of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, the most prestigious award in the field of ophthalmology of the former union, for the successful results of her scientific research work in the field of occupational pathology of the visual organ and her contributions to the development of ophthalmology. She was the first female scientist to receive this award.

"Acute viral conjunctivitis", "Keratitis, diseases of the vascular tract of the eye, retina, optic nerve, cataracts", "Glaucoma and eye hypertension", "Visual organ damage", "Physiology and histology of tear flow", "Eye diseases in diabetes mellitus" ", "Microsurgery of the eye", "Adaptation and protective function of the pupil margin" - this is not a complete list of textbooks and monographs authored by Ms. Zarifa Aliyeva. "Physiology of vital pathways", "Surgical treatment of vital pathways", "Protective surgical methods of lacrimal pathways" and other works have not lost their relevance even today. He also researched the problems of iridodiagnostics and iridotherapy and wrote the first books on iridodiagnostics worldwide.

     Ms. Zarifa lives in memories today as an ophthalmologist who gave light to people, a devotee of science, a patriotic scientist, a kind person, and, of course, as an embodiment of the Azerbaijani woman, a devoted lifelong companion, a hard-working mother. He was a lifelong friend of Heydar Aliyev, who spent his life in constant struggles. They always walked together on their life paths and faced difficulties together. Ulu Öndar said: "He was not just my friend for life. He was my friend and support. During all the times when my work was difficult, I thought very easily about my family. Because I had a life-long partner like Zarifa Aliyeva, who was a loyal, hard-working, selfless mother."

     During his many years of activity, the outstanding scientist healed several eyes, performed the most difficult and complex operations, and enlightened the dark world of the visually impaired or completely blind. In this work, he was supported not only by his knowledge, education and competence, but also by the high qualities derived from his genes and the family he grew up in.

Ms. Zarifa, who played an active role in the life of the society, had a tender heart and great nobility, was a woman extremely devoted to her family, a wonderful mother. This lady, who combined her mission of motherhood with her beloved profession, could not be considered apart from her family, who served the development of society as a woman, a scientist and a doctor. Mrs. Zarifa coped with the task of motherhood very well. Today, our political leader Ilham Aliyev, who was brought up by Mrs. Zarifa, who embodies the image of a real Azerbaijanian lady, lives in her heart the love of the Motherland that her family and parents gave her.

     Zarifa Aliyeva, the daughter of the great statesman Aziz Aliyev, the founder of modern and independent Azerbaijan, the wife of the National Leader of our people Heydar Aliyev, the mother of the President of every Azerbaijani, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, Mrs. Zarifa Aliyeva, is a worthy child, a faithful lifelong companion, a good mother, and has fulfilled her mission with honor.

    An outstanding ophthalmologist-scientist, who made great contributions to the medical science of Azerbaijan with her knowledge and skills, a noble lady, a real mother, academician Mrs. Zarifa Aliyeva will always live in our hearts, will always be remembered in our thoughts and will be remembered with pleasant feelings.

Akademik Zərifə Əliyevanın 100 illik yubileyidir