An international online conference is being held on the topic: "The coronavirus pandemic: from scientific research to ensuring a healthy future."
On August 4, 2020, an international online conference on the topic: "The coronavirus pandemic: from scientific research to ensuring a healthy future" began its work at ANAS.
The event was attended by the first vice-president of ANAS, academician Isa Habibbeyli, vice-presidents of ANAS, academicians Irada Huseynova, Rasim Aliguliyev, Dilgam Tagiyev, academician secretary of ANAS, corresponding member Aminaga Sadigov, directors of scientific institutions that are part of the Department of Biological and of medical sciences of ANAS, specialists in this field, Azerbaijani scientists living abroad, as well as representatives of a number of relevant state structures.
Opening the conference with an opening speech, Vice-President of ANAS, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Department of Biological and Medical Sciences (BMN), Academician Irada Huseynova greeted the event participants on behalf of the President of ANAS, Academician Ramiz Mehdiyev and wished them success in the work of the conference. She highly appreciated the courage of the general, officers and soldiers who died heroically during the battles for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as the entire Azerbaijani army as a whole, and expressed support to the Supreme Commander on behalf of the conference participants.
Having said that throughout history, mankind periodically faced global epidemics and pandemics, Academician Irada Huseynova noted that diseases such as smallpox, plague, cholera, Spanish flu, malaria, ebola, etc., which at different periods of history claimed the lives of millions of people, at the beginning of the 21st century three viruses of similar origin joined - SARS-CoV-1, MERS and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The Vice President said that the COVID-19 pandemic, which was recorded at the end of December 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan and soon spread throughout the world, is seriously testing the health system, the economy, working conditions, as well as various fields of science, even in developed countries. ...
According to her, after the pandemic was declared on March 11, a number of states, including Azerbaijan, prepared a special action plan, introduced a quarantine regime and prevented the widespread spread of the virus with various preventive measures. Irada Huseynova added that as a result of the timely implemented preventive measures in Azerbaijan, our country has become an example for a number of states.
Emphasizing that “thanks to the far-sighted and wise policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev, real measures have been taken to protect people's health and improve their social well-being,” the scientist noted that as a result, Azerbaijan is among the countries that have been least affected by the pandemic. ... Academician Irada Huseynova said that important tasks were assigned to the MBP, for the implementation of which the academy's specialists carried out educational and campaigning work in the media and social networks.
Then the chairman of the Health Committee of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, academician Ahliman Amiraslanov spoke about the significance of the conference organized to discuss topical scientific and practical issues related to COVID-19. He said that in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings were held in many committees of the Milli Mejlis, current issues were discussed, bills were prepared, 10 of which were adopted by the Milli Mejlis. He added that the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Health of the country are developing legal acts to combat the pandemic, protect public health and ensure sanitary and epidemiological well-being.
Saying that the current situation in connection with the spread of coronavirus infection in the country is in the focus of attention of the Health Committee, Akhliman Amiraslanov noted that, as part of measures to combat coronavirus, with the participation of the Milli Majlis Health Committee, the country's medical community and deputies, hearings were held and polls and proposals prepared.
The academician said that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, flexible and systemic preventive measures were taken in Azerbaijan to prevent the widespread spread of coronavirus, laboratory tests, medical equipment and tools, protective equipment produced in Europe were brought to the country in a timely manner, which were distributed to medical institutions.
Emphasizing that important work has been done on the manufacture of drugs against coronavirus, Akhliman Amiraslanov spoke about the importance of joint activities of all organizations and researchers aimed at obtaining vaccines and drugs. Noting that "it takes time to make vaccines, and we must learn to live with the virus," the scientist added that the use of medical masks, social distance and personal hygiene rules will help to successfully fight COVID-19.
In his speech at the event, Deputy Health Minister Rahim Aliyev said that COVID-19 is both a medical and social problem and a big economic problem, under the influence of the pandemic, the economies of many countries of the world have suffered great damage, tens of thousands of people have lost their lives.
He noted that in their speeches, President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President of the country Mehriban Aliyeva repeatedly spoke about various areas affected by the pandemic: “The decrease in infection cases, which has been observed in recent days, indicates that the strategy chosen by the government is correct. Epidemiological studies have also contributed to this. ”
In conclusion of his speech, the Deputy Minister stressed the need for such events and wished success in the work of the conference.
Then the Chairman of the Board of the Association for the Management of Medical Territorial Units (TƏBIB) Ramin Bayramli spoke about the measures implemented in Azerbaijan to combat the new type of coronavirus and the upcoming tasks. He said that trainings were held for doctors and medical personnel involved in the fight against COVID-19, both online and directly.
Ramin Bayramli noted that for the first time fully automated PCR laboratories were brought to Azerbaijan, which are currently functioning in the hospitals of Baku, Sumgait, Mingachevir and Shamkir.
It was reported that one of the important tasks in the fight against COVID-19 is the disposal of medical waste and ensuring biosafety. Ramin Bayramli added that in most hospitals there are serious gaps in this area, and highlighted the support provided by the Food Security Agency and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in solving existing problems.
Speaking about the Scientific Committee of TƏBİB, the speaker noted that leading specialists of research institutes, including several employees of ANAS, who regularly hold meetings, discuss all the methodological recommendations prepared by TƏBİB, and make appropriate decisions are involved in the work of the committee.
Having said that one of the important tasks was the development of an electronic registration system, Ramin Bayramli spoke about the importance of an electronic management system in managing the number of patients: “Many hospitals did not have an electronic management system. We have developed electronic management programs for obtaining data on the number of patients and quarantined persons, deaths outside the hospital, etc., thanks to which we can quickly manage the processes. "
He said that the achievements made in Azerbaijan in the fight against COVID-19 were highly appreciated by the World Health Organization (WHO), our republic was included in the list of exemplary countries in this area: “This is the result of the solidarity of the people, which followed the call of the head of state Ilham Aliyev “Together we are stronger” ”.
Ramin Bayramli emphasized the need for close cooperation with ANAS, aimed at conducting research and manufacturing vaccines.
In his speech at the conference, the advisor to the chairman of the Food Security Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elkhan Mikailov spoke about the significance of the conference. He noted that an important task is to study the characteristics of the disease and identify methods to combat the virus, as well as ways to solve the problem, taking into account genetic characteristics.
Elkhan Mikailov said that another of the important issues that arose as a result of the global pandemic is the strengthening of the immune system of people, and both in the period before the pandemic and now, the Food Safety Agency is taking serious measures to instill in people the habits of proper and healthy eating. ...
From the very first day of the spread of the coronavirus, the agency collaborated with the Operations Headquarters, developed and presented to the public guidelines on preventive measures in the fight against COVID-19 in catering, retail and wholesale facilities.
The speaker spoke about the neutralization of biological forms, the work that is being carried out in this area together with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Health and TƏBIB.
He said that a draft of a new concept is being developed, aimed at reading the genetic code of people infected with COVID-19, identifying the origin of the genetic code of the coronavirus and susceptibility to its mutation, prescribing appropriate treatment protocols based on the data received: “We seriously need scientific research in this area. Research is needed to find out if the virus is transmitted through food and from animals to humans and vice versa. ”
Then the director of the ANAS High Technology Park (VT Park), academician Ali Abbasov spoke, who noted that it takes a long time to defeat the coronavirus, many countries, including Azerbaijan, can overcome the current situation with minimal losses if they make the right decisions. and implement certain organizational and therapeutic measures.
Talking about the activities of VT Park and the work done here during the special quarantine regime, the scientist said that the main goal of this organization, which is a bridge between science and economics, is to commercialize the research results obtained. Academician Ali Abbasov noted that, being a great danger, the coronavirus at the same time had a positive stimulating effect on the development of many industries, especially high technologies: note the medical and biological fields, as well as the field of information technology. For example, during a pandemic, the issue of providing medical services through digital platforms came to the fore. "
The director added that due to the quarantine regime, educational institutions were also closed, which led to the organization of distance education, which was implemented in our country at the highest level. Thus, it is possible that distance learning will become the main choice in the future.
Speaking about predicting the spread of coronavirus, academician Ali Abbasov said that this issue is currently the topic of extensive research, a forecasting model is being developed taking into account the conditions of social distancing.
Ali Abbasov noted that several scientific programs have already been developed in the world to combat coronavirus using artificial intelligence technologies. The scientist highly appreciated the "E-Təbib" program created by TƏBIB and stressed that the mobile application is the first experience in our country in this area. He added that such programs have a positive effect on predicting the spread of coronavirus and developing methods to combat it.
The event continued with a plenary session moderated by Corresponding Member of ANAS Nuru Bayramov and Professor Ismail Zulfugarov. At the plenary session, Professor of the Indiana Institute of Biosciences Vidadi Yusifov made a presentation "Therapeutic Antibodies for COVID-19", and Professor of Yildiz Technical University (Turkey) Adil Allahverdiev - with a report "The current state of affairs in the development of vaccines against COVID-19."
Then at the breakout sessions the reports were heard. The international conference will continue its work on August 5.