Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan has taken comprehensive measures related to public health, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said at the ceremony to inaugurate the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Hospital on December 1.

The head of state opened a number of the significant facilities in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic during his one-day official visit.

“First, we are creating a healthcare infrastructure. It is impossible to develop healthcare without that. Work is under way to train doctors. Modern equipment is purchased. In other words, work in this area has certainly helped us improve the healthcare system,” he said, but stressed that there is a lot yet to be done in this sphere.

“We have to make sure that people throughout Azerbaijan can receive quality medical care. Sometimes people go abroad for treatment. I believe that we must create a system where, on the contrary, people from abroad would be coming to Azerbaijan for examination and treatment,” he said expressing confidence that this hospital can and will be used by people from neighboring countries and adjacent regions of Nakhchivan.

The eight-storey building has 14 inpatient departments. The 300-bed hospital includes departments of traumatology, emergency and urgent medical care, general therapy, neurology, hematology, eye diseases, otorhinolaryngology, endocrine disorders, proctology, urology, surgery, neurosurgery, resuscitation and rehabilitation. The facility employs 130 doctors.

There are two big auditoriums, seven classrooms, a 200-seat conference hall, computer room, medical and sports center and medical check-up rooms for students here.

The president noted that the hospital meets the highest standards.

“The commissioning of the hospital completes the process of creating the health infrastructure in Nakhchivan. To date, we have built and commissioned a diagnostic center and a maternity hospital. There are modern hospitals in all our districts. This was the last stage, as there was a great need for that. The hospital was in poor condition. It was built long ago, was outdated and there was a need for the construction of a new one,” he said.

The head of state said that this significant event shows again that “our policy is centered on the people of Azerbaijan, their comfort and health. We in Azerbaijan are doing everything necessary to improve public health.”

He further added that the country has built and renovated more than 500 medical institutions in recent years.

Moreover, the state is addressing issues related to the environment, drinking water projects are being implemented throughout the country, he said.

“In general, things in Nakhchivan go very well, creative and landscaping work is carried out. My visits to Nakhchivan are of regular nature, and every time I take part in the opening of new facilities. And this is a manifestation of dynamic development,” he stressed.

“At the same time, it is possible to say that infrastructure issues have been resolved in Nakhchivan. The entire population of the autonomous republic has been receiving natural gas for many years. There are no problems with electricity. I believe that the day will come when Nakhchivan will meet all of its energy needs by means of renewable energy,” he stressed. “A lot is being done to achieve this. Hydropower plants have been built. The construction of the Ordubad hydropower plant is underway, and today we will celebrate the opening of a solar power plant.”

The head of state noted the comprehensive approach implemented in Nakhchivan, whose population has reached 450,000 people.

“Population growth, of course, multiplies our strength and, at the same time, leads to further development, because growing population means more jobs and new industrial enterprises,” he added.

Noting financial and military-political crisis around the world, the president said “despite this, creation and development go rapidly in Azerbaijan.”

“In terms of the pace of economic development, Azerbaijan is among world leaders again. This is evidenced by statistics and reports of influential international financial institutions. I am confident that we will successfully complete the next year too, just as we are about to complete 2015 with excellent results – economic growth and low inflation. In 2016, all our planned programs will be implemented, including those in Nakhchivan, and the process of development will be continued,” he noted.

The head of state stressed that the development of Nakhchivan is always in the spotlight. “The leaders of Nakhchivan work very hard and effectively. The face of Nakhchivan is changing. Today, Nakhchivan is one of the most comfortable cities not only in Azerbaijan and the region, but also globally.”

Creative work and development are observed not only in the city but also in all the districts, President Aliyev emphasized.

In Nakhchivan, the president reviewed “Eastern Terminal” of the Nakhchivan International Airport after reconstruction, the Shakarabad-Babek settlement Nehram-Arazkend ring road after reconstruction, opened the school No 2 as well as music school No 2.

The head of state has also attended a ceremony to launch a water supply system of the city of Nakhchivan, and visited the opening of Nakhchivan Industrial Complex, composed of gypsum, drywall, lime and pervious concrete plants.

Finalizing his visit, President Aliyev also attended the opening of Nakhchivan Solar Power Plant, that will produce more than 30 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

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