Since the old times, physicians have been guided by the high ethical norm: “Non nocere!” that is first, do no harm to the life, health or rest of the patient! Respect for life and personality of a patient is the main line of the doctors’ ethics and this principle is as important today as it was in the time of Hippocrates.
The essence of ethical norms of Bulgakov, Dostoevsky, Beacon, Frank, Fedorov and tens of men of great intellect arising from the Hippocratic Oath is the human health. In addition to this set of common views, there is also a “live ethics”, that is the ethics impregnated by the Buddhist ideas of the ancient Indian civilization. According to this teaching, the role of the mental energy is continuously increasing in our planet, which requires the moral renovation of the nature. However, all these ethical philosophic values have one common line: the most cherished value is the LIFE.
There is a moment in life when a person realizes being in the hands of death. That’s when (s)he puts all the hopes on one person. And this person is a doctor.
The person I want to talk about is a person with a big heart, our fellow countryman residing in Moscow Dr. Azer Akhundov.
Akhundov Azer Aliramiz oglu was born on 12 September 1959 in Baku city of Azerbaijan in the family of a doctor. His father Dr. Aliramiz Ahmed oglu Akhundov had been working for long years in the H.Turner National Medical Research Centre for Сhildren’s Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) as a deputy director, as well as a chief orthopaedics and trauma surgery physician of the Russian Soviet Federative Republic. To this day Azer Akhundov considers his father source of pride as a scientist and an individual. Because his father has become famous outside the territory of the country and all over the world thanks to his innovations, inventions in the medical field. A. Akhundov played a significant role in training of high-level medical personnel.
Azer’s mother Khalida Isazadeh had a degree in pharmacology and worked for a long time in Lankaran in this field. The parenting and strong work ethics implanted by his mother played an important role in development of Azer Akhundov as a well-known surgeon taking his job with responsibility and treating people with care.
Azer Akhundov who grew in the family of the healthcare workers decided to dedicate his life to medical science. Upon graduation from high school, he enrolled at the N. Narimanov Medical Institute in 1978. After graduation in 1984 he worked in Kokchetansk Central Hospital (1989) and later in a military hospital in Lankaran city, Azerbaijan of his own accord.
At the age of 30, Azer Akhundov continued his education in the N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Centre in Moscow (presently the largest Cancer Research Centre of the Russian Federation) majoring in cancer surgery. After graduation in 1994 he defended a thesis “Research of therapy of complications arising during the radiotherapy of the laryngeal cancer” and earned a PhD in Medicine degree.
Since this academic work was a new treatment method in the history of medical science, the management of the Cancer Research Centre invited Azer Akhundov to work as a surgeon. After working as a surgeon for a while, in 1999 he was appointed a senior academic researcher. His researches on innovative cancer treatment methods (2000) were reflected in his dissertation for post-doctoral degree in medicine.
At present, Dr. Akhundov is a surgeon engaged in head and laryngeal cancer treatment and, at the same time, is closely involved in scientific researches in respective field. He is the author and co-author of more than 100 scientific publications, 5 scientific articles, 3 recommendation collections and co-author of 3 inventions. Azer Akhundov is also a member of editorial committee of “Head and Neck Tumours” magazine published in Russia.
Systematically improves the professional level by participating in qualification courses and master classes, as well as in schools for head and neck surgery with international participation. Participates in the scientific activities of the department, is the author and co-author of many scientific publications in Russian and international journals, co-author of two invention patents in the field of head and neck surgery. He is proficient in all modern methods of surgical treatment of head and neck tumors, chemotherapy for malignant head and neck tumors. According to the results of the last 3 years of work, he conducted high surgical activity in patients with diseases of head and neck tumors, participated in consultations and medical commissions, is a constant participant in scientific and practical conferences in his specialty.
He is a permanent member of the Society of Specialists in Head and Neck Tumors, a member of the editorial board of the journal “Tumors of the Head and Neck”, and also takes part in various congresses with international participation.
Participates in scientific research work on the study of lymphatic dissection in head and neck tumors, the need to determine the sentinel lymph node. He is also a co-author in the study of the possibilities of organ-preservation head and neck cancer using modern methods of interventional radiology in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer, such as photodynamic therapy and regional intra-arterial chemotherapy. Akhundov regularly participates in trainings in advance medical centres of Europe and Russia, at the same time is invited to international symposiums and conferences. He is a well-known surgeon in the CIS and has saved number of people from the jaws of death at the last minute.
At the same time, Azer Akhundov’s heart is with his homeland Azerbaijan and he never forgets his historical country. He also actively participates in congresses and events the world Azerbaijani held in Russia and Azerbaijan.
