Speech by Ilham Aliyev at the opening of the Center Hospital in Shaki

My congratulations! I remember laying the foundation stone of this beautiful hospital together with you three years ago. A great and modern hospital has been built in three years and we are attending its opening today. This is a wonderful and remarkable event. This is perhaps the biggest hospital of this region. It is a spacious and beautiful building. It has all the necessary equipment, all the conditions, the wards are roomy, there are good conditions for doctors. This is very gratifying, it is a great event. It shows that all our decisions are fulfilled. Our decisions are fulfilled in time and with quality. The creation of such wonderful facilities, especially in the social sphere, is a major and remarkable event.

In general, hospitals are opening in all Azerbaijani districts now. I attend the opening ceremonies of hospitals almost every month, sometimes even twice a month. This suggests that this process has become widespread in the region. We can say that modern hospitals and health centers have been established in this whole region. This center in Shaki, of course, is the most modern. Work in this area is also ongoing in Baku, new hospitals are being built and existing ones renovated. Similarly excellent hospitals have recently opened in Agdash, Ujar and Khachmaz. And this has been done over one month.

The construction of this hospital has been carried out by the Ministry of Health jointly with the World Bank. I am very pleased that the World Bank is paying attention to Azerbaijan’s social sphere. Our collaboration with the World Bank has a long history. We have collaborated in a number of infrastructure projects in Azerbaijan. In general, international financial institutions are very positive about the development of Azerbaijan’s economic and social spheres.

The work we launched earlier regarding the Program on the development of districts is paying off. In general, things are going well in our districts. I have repeatedly visited this region, including Shaki. I am sure that the whole area stretching from Gobustan to Balakan will prove to be a beautiful and modern tourism zone. To do this, we are now implementing infrastructure projects, building roads. The Shaki-Gakh highway is being built. It will probably open soon. This will further reduce the distance. We are also implementing infrastructure projects, projects on the construction of new buildings, gasification, irrigation, water supply, including a project to address the drinking water problem in Shaki. Its first stage has been completed. All water and sewer problems of Shaki should be resolved in the near future.

Gasification is going even faster now. Of course, we should make this region, in particular Shaki, an ancient and at the same time modern city, a tourist center of the region, even more beautiful. Appropriate decisions have been made to that end. Earlier, decisions were also made and funds allocated. More recently we issued a special order on the development of Shaki. This order is very important. And not just because five million manats has been allocated for the development of Shaki and restoration of its historic buildings. In the past, funds were allocated too, and they will continue to be allocated in the future. The essence of this order is that we should be even more attentive to our past, our historic towns. This is a step into the future, a direction for our future activities and, at the same time, our attitude to our own past.

Every city, every village of Azerbaijan is dear to us. There is no district I have not visited. I have been to the districts repeatedly and I will continue to visit them in the future. We have programs on each district, funds are allocated. But there are historic cities that have a special role in the history of Azerbaijan, forming the Azerbaijani nation and establishing the foundations of statehood in Azerbaijan. Shaki is one such city.

I can say that the signing of such orders began with Shaki. Afterwards, similar orders were issued regarding the development of Shamakhi and Guba. More orders on improving Azerbaijan’s historic cities and preserving our cultural heritage will continue to be signed in the future. Other cities will also benefit from the program.

Shaki is entering a new stage of development. This city has always held a special place in the history of Azerbaijan.

Currently we are implementing specific programs on the development of districts, adjacent districts are also developing rapidly. One of the issues that used to worry me was that Shaki was lagging behind in development, surrounding districts were developing faster, improvement and creative work there was progressing more rapidly. A number of serious steps were taken in this direction. First, measures were taken to strengthen the district authorities. Issues were discussed with the district public and MPs. We defined the main directions for the development of Shaki. The new district authorities were tasked with taking specific measures both to implement infrastructure projects and, especially, restore the historical appearance of Shaki. A master plan of major projects was prepared and submitted to me over a short period of time. Now its implementation has begun.

First of all, we have to resolve all issues of concern in a very short time. By the end of 2013, all the issues, including gasification, electricity, water, sanitation and roads, should be resolved at a high level. Taking into account the population growth, the water supply project is designed to cover a period until 2035. Therefore, there will be no problem in relation to this matter.

Funds have been allocated for the restoration and protection of historical buildings. And it is a very important area for Shaki because there are quite a few historical monuments here. Specific instructions have been issued to turn Shaki into a modern center of international tourism. Tourists from both within the country and abroad are coming and will continue to come here to see this history and beauty. But we must create better conditions. Modern hotels, tourist resorts, entertainment centers, recreation parks – all this should be created. Today we have reopened the renovated Olympic Sports Center built earlier. This is also a kind of tourist center.

We also plan to open a new hotel today. The old caravansary is being restored. There are other plans. I am sure that you also genuinely support the initiatives to make Shaki even nicer, younger and more attractive, while retaining its historical appearance. The public certainly should and does play a major part in this. All these issues must be agreed with the public. Local executive authorities have been told to conduct a broad public debate on this issue because we want this work to be done with taste, quality and with respect for historical realities.

Today we have specific programs on the development of Shaki further. We had such programs in the past too. A lot has been done through the state program on the socioeconomic development of districts. The next stage should be even more serious and effective. The results should also be even more beautiful.

Let me congratulate you on this wonderful event again! I congratulate all the doctors! They will have perfect conditions now. These conditions may be even slightly better than those in the hospitals of the world’s most developed capitals. But this is so. We are now applying Azerbaijani standards in this area. The architecture, conditions and equipment. We only need to bring medical care into line with international standards. I am sure that this day is not too far off. I am sure that doctors will work well to provide patients with quality services. My congratulations again!

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President Ilham Aliyev: Public health is a priority issue for us. You have mentioned, and this is true, that we must consider all factors. The construction of a good hospital is not everything. Thank God, the environmental situation here is very good, the air is clean and a water supply project will be implemented. Doctors know best that drinking water and clean food are of top priority for human health. Control over these issues is tightening. Medical care, prevention, diagnosing – every time I attend the opening of a new hospital, I say over and over again, and this should probably be repeated hundreds of times, that everyone should undergo a checkup once a year. These conditions are available everywhere today. You have mentioned about the dialysis equipment. I have enquired and the minister tells me that there are 34 patients requiring dialysis. You said that earlier people used to travel to places where we have recently established diagnostic centers. In the past, such patients, unfortunately, did not live long, they died. In Baku there were perhaps one or two dialysis units and people used to queue for them. Now, we have created dialysis centers in all our regions, primarily at diagnostic centers. We have taken into account geographic considerations, so that the distance of travel is acceptable. We take dialysis needs into consideration in the construction of hospitals in every district. There are 28 dialysis centers now. On the way here I was thinking that in 2008, when the foundation of this hospital was laid, I had said that there would be a big hospital here and that people would come here from surrounding districts. New hospitals are opening in surrounding districts too. In Balakan we have built a large hospital, large diagnostic centers in Zagatala and Gabala, and a district hospital in Oguz, a district hospital has been renovated in Gakh. Now we are opening a hospital in Shaki. It can largely benefit the residents of Shaki. And that’s the way it should be.

We do all our work according to plan. At the first stage, modern medical centers should be established in each region, at the next stage – in each district center. Afterwards – and the minister is hearing this – large hospitals, dispensaries and health institutions should be built in rural areas. We must do this all. Besides, and this is associated with this issue too, there is the issue of construction of rural roads. If there is a good rural road, a medical facility may not even be required in a village, people can easily travel to the district center. This year we launched a major program on the construction of rural roads. In the coming years more funds will be allocated, including those on the construction of rural roads in Shaki District. We need to make sure that there are top standards in every sphere in Azerbaijan. We will achieve this. My congratulations again!