From April 19th to 21st, the I Cardiology Congress of Turkic States is taking place in Baku, organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Scientific Research Institute of Cardiology named after Academician J. Abdullayev of the Ministry of Health.

The international event is attended by heads of state structures, deputies of the Milli Majlis, students of the Azerbaijan Medical University, representatives of higher educational institutions and medical institutions, renowned scientists, and volunteers of the Cardiology Research Institute. The I Cardiology Congress of Turkic States also involves leaders and representatives of scientific and medical institutions specializing in cardiology from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The official opening ceremony of the I Cardiology Congress of Turkic States took place on April 20th. At the beginning, the participants honored the memory of the national leader Heydar Aliyev and the martyrs who gave their lives in the struggle for the independence and territorial integrity of our country with a minute of silence.

Opening the event with an introductory speech, the Minister of Health of Azerbaijan, Teymur Musayev, greeted the participants and emphasized the importance of the international Congress: "The I Cardiology Congress of Turkic States, organized for the first time with the participation of fraternal countries, is an indicator of a new stage in relations between medical communities and the growing reputation of the Organization of Turkic States as a stable platform."

Speaking at the VIII Summit Meeting of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States held in Istanbul, President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan emphasized that there are strong foundations for our common future. Teymur Musayev stated, "When discussing the perspective opportunities in the healthcare sector within the framework of the organization, the geographical position, demographic indicators, labor reserves, and specialized workforce of member and observer countries should be taken into account as important factors."

According to him, the Congress provides a solid foundation for establishing connections with medical professionals from the represented countries at the Summit, as well as with Turkic-speaking professionals operating in other countries, to acquaint themselves with their experiences and identify future cooperation opportunities. "The Congress will provide insights into the latest innovations in cardiology and acquire useful knowledge aimed at strengthening the health of the country's citizens," he added.

Teymur Musayev highlighted that thanks to President Ilham Aliyev's political will, our republic's sovereignty has been fully restored, emphasizing the active participation of brotherly Turkic States in the restoration and reconstruction works in our liberated territories.

Finally, Azerbaijan's Minister of Health proposed that the organization of the Summit follow the tradition and suggested that each year, one country hosts the event.

Speaking at the event, Turkiye's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Cahit Bağcı, emphasized that throughout history, the hearts of Turkic peoples have always beaten for each other. According to him, bringing together cardiology specialists from the Turkic World at an international event will provide an opportunity to review joint research capabilities and contribute to improving the quality of healthcare services provided to the population in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

In her speech, Professor Gulnaz Dadashova, the director of Scientific Research Institute of Cardiology, noted that the Congress program includes plenary and sectional sessions dedicated to the practical aspects of the application of new medical technologies and achievements of fundamental medicine, discussions based on original research results and real clinical experiences, debates, and new clinical recommendations.

During the opening ceremony, Turkiye's pioneering female cardiac surgeon, Professor Serap Aykut, Kazakhstan's Chief Cardiologist, Professor Maxabat Bekbosinova, Uzbekistan's Chief Cardiologist, Khurshid Fozilov, and others also delivered speeches.

It's worth noting that for the first time in Azerbaijan, courses on cardiology were organized within the framework of the I Turkic States Cardiology Congress. During the "Cardiac Imaging in Cardiovascular Diseases" course, the effectiveness and importance of modern methods such as MRI imaging and cardiac CT angiography in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases were discussed interactively. In the course titled "Innovations in Heart Valve Diseases: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)," which was held with the participation of foreign physicians, the restoration of valve diseases through invasive methods without open heart surgery and the simulation of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) were demonstrated.

Additionally, during the "Endovascular Repair and Treatment of Aneurysms (EVAR) and Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (TEVAR)" course, detailed information was provided about these procedures, and simulations of EVAR and TEVAR operations were conducted. Furthermore, in the inaugural "Renal Denervation" course, comprehensive information was provided about resistant hypertension (a minimal invasive procedure for the treatment of persistent high blood pressure unresponsive to drug therapy).

Following these courses, video presentations about Azerbaijan and the Turkic States were showcased.

The event progressed with a segment focused on the arts.

Overall, more than 1000 domestic and foreign specialists participated in the three-day conference. It is noteworthy that the I Cardiology Congress of Turkic States is accredited by the Scientific-Medical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and participants of the event will be credited with 51 DTT credit points.