Azernews.Az

Today, Azerbaijan commemorates the 102nd birthday of one of its most distinguished scientists, Zarifa Aziz gizi Aliyeva — a celebrated Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, and a full member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

Born on April 28, 1923, in the Sharur district of Nakhchivan, Zarifa Aliyeva made lasting contributions to ophthalmology through groundbreaking research that earned her wide acclaim.

Her innovative therapeutic methods and comprehensive preventive strategies quickly found widespread application.
She was instrumental in establishing Azerbaijan’s first specialized ophthalmology research laboratory, setting a new standard for the field.

Committed to upholding medical ethics, Aliyeva dedicated her career to training a generation of skilled professionals, significantly advancing medical education and research in Azerbaijan.

A 1947 graduate of the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute, she went on to hold influential academic roles — including professor and head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Azerbaijan Institute for Advanced Medical Training.

Her scientific achievements were pivotal in addressing trachoma, once widespread in Azerbaijan, and she was among the first to explore and treat occupational eye diseases in the chemical and electronics sectors.
Aliyeva authored major works like "Therapeutic Ophthalmology" and "Fundamentals of Iridodiagnostics," alongside 12 monographs, nearly 150 academic papers, 1 invention, and several innovative proposals.

She served on key scientific committees, including the Presidium of the All-Union Society of Ophthalmologists and the editorial board of "Vestnik Oftalmologii" journal in Moscow.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Zarifa Aliyeva received the prestigious M.I. Averbakh Prize from the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences in 1981.

She married future Azerbaijani leader Heydar Aliyev in 1954. Together, they raised two children: Sevil and Ilham Aliyev.

Zarifa Aliyeva passed away in Moscow in 1985. In 1994, her remains were brought back to Baku, where she was laid to rest in the Alley of Honor beside her father.