Eminent ophthalmologist, academician Mrs Zarifa Aliyeva, who dedicated her life to the social development and progress of society, created a unique image of a woman in the history of Azerbaijan. Z.Aliyeva was born on April 28, 1923 in the family of Aziz Aliyev, an outstanding public figure and statesman, in Shahtakhty village, Nakhchyvan.

Huge successes Zarifa Aliyeva, a prominent person in the history of Azerbaijan, gained as a scientist form a special page in the development of Azerbaijani medicine. For the first time in the world she created a scientific laboratory studying the professional pathology and laid the basis of a new direction in science – professional ophthalmology. In 1981, Professor Zarifa Aliyeva was awarded the Prize named after Academician M.I.Averbakh of the Academy of Medical Sciences of USSR for great contributions she gave to development of ophthalmology, successful researches she conducted in field of professional pathology of the vision. Z.Aliyeva received this influential prize awarded to her for the fruitful and great services in field of development of ophthalmology as the high value set to the ophthalmology of Azerbaijan.

Z.Aliyeva said “A real doctor should feel troubles of patient and smile of the healed patient is the best reward. Conscience is the major judge of us. In our hardest and happiest moment it will stand face to face with us and ask: do you have right to wear a white smock?”

Zarifa Aliyeva was a careful mother, faithful wife, patriot intellectual and modest doctor. World-known political figure Heydar Aliyev said about her: “I was happy for having a spouse like Zarifa Aliyeva and for high moral atmosphere she created in my family.” Academician Zarifa Aliyeva felt a sincere and faithful love for her homeland, nation and all the people. With her activities, valuable works she left to young generations and ideas she stimulated the evolution of society. Z.Aliyeva said for many times that direct contact between patient and doctor lifts the importance of treatment, gives patient hope, increases resistance of organism against disease, has sometimes stronger impact than medicine. 

Zarifa Aliyeva personified kindness, nobility, humanism, in a word, the most supreme humane emotions. With her multilateral activities as a scientist, doctor and pedagogue she made great contributions to the global medicine. Mrs Zarifa Aliyeva, a gifted scientist and skillful pedagogue, careful, kind and hardworking woman, amazing spouse, will always live in memories.

Naila Mammadova,
“Azerbaijan Realities”.