On February 2,2019 the III Azerbaijan Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Symposium,organized by the National Center of Oncology of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan  was held in Baku.

Along with Azerbaijani oncologists,high qualified specialists from the leading medical centers of  Austria,Switzerland and Turkey,as well as representatives of the scientific community  attended this prestigious  international health forum.One of the main topics of the III Azerbaijan Oncology and  NC Symposium was the presentation and discussion of the latest methods and  approaches in Nuclear  Medicine,as well as exchange of experience and information about the latest methods of cancer prevention and treatment.

The symposium was opened by the speech ofDirector General of the National Center of Oncology Academik Jamil Aliyev.Speaking about the latest achievements of the NCO,which is the leading medical institution in Azerbaijan in the field of early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, Academik Jamil Aliyev noted with regret the fact of growing dynamics of oncological diseases in the world. Academikemphasized the importance of strenthening the coordination of activities with the relevant international organizations in this  field .It was emphasized that Oncology is the most serious area of medicine,therefore it is always in the spotlight of the state.

Academik Jamil Aliyev said that all conditions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer have been created at the NCO in recent years.Also,he noted the exceptional merit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev who constantly cares about the health of the population.He also  drew attention to the fact that Pediatric Clinic of the National Center of Oncology,established as the result of care of the First Lady of Azerbaijan,Mehriban Aliyeva is a good example of attention and care for children suffering from cancer.

For long –term efficient activity of the NCO in Azerbaijan and high scientific and practical achievements in the field of oncology, Academik Jamil Aliyev was elected as the honorary Ambassador of Science and Peace by the International Awards Committee of United Nations Council for Public Awards (UNCOPA).The honorary award was presented to Academik Jamil Aliyev by Representative of the UN Supreme Commisariat for Human Rights, Head of the UN International Council of the Geneva Office.

The first Deputy Director General of the NCO,Professor Aziz Aliyev also noted that Azerbaijan has achieved significant  success in all areas,including medicine in recent years.In his speech, Professor noted that the NCO has closely cooperated with the leading companies of the world  which are engaged in the production of the latest technologies for  the treatment of cancer patients. In October 2014 an agreement  of cooperation was signed  between the NCO and American company “Varian Medical Systems”,designing and producing modern techologies for radiotherapy of malignant tumors.Thus, the NCO received the status  of official reference-center.

At the event it was noted that in 2008 Radionuclide Diagnosis Department , 4 years later Radionuclide Therapy Department and  in 2014 Public Association of Nuclear Medicine were established in our country.In 2015,the specialty  of Nuclear Medicine was approved and in 2016 Nuclear Medicine Centre started its work.Nuclear Medicine Center  is the first and only such a medical institution not only in Azerbaijan,but also in the region and carries great importance for the early detection of cancer.The center is fully equipped and meets international standards.In addition, the Center has Positron-emission Tomography/Computer Tomography(PET CT) is a modern medical diagnostic imaging device that allows to visualise  changes in body at the molecular level.Doctors,pharmacists,physicists,engineers,chemists and even junior and middle medical staff working in the center were trained abroad and mastered practical knowledge at a high level.Among them there are foreign specialists with extensive experience in this field.

It was emphasized that Azerbaijan Nuclear Medicine Center has been accredited by European Association of Nuclear Medicine since 2016 and included to the list of29 best centers in the world.As a result,the number of applications from the most famous countries of the world to the NCO has significantly increased. Patients from Russia,Ukraine,Kazakhstan,Georgia,Afghanistan,Libya,Syria,as well as some European and Asian countries have been successfully examined at the Nuclear Medicine Center.Since 2017 the center has been started targeted radionuclide therapy.Patients from many neighboring countries have come to our country  for treatment with special drug Lithesium-177 and Actinium-225

First Deputy General Director of the NCO,Professor Aziz Aliyev;Chief Inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency,Professor Francesco Gammarelli;Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine of the NCO Fuad Novruzov, Representative of the UN Supreme Commisariat for Human Rights, Head of the International council of the United Nations in Geneva Mehmet Shukru Guzel; Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine of Bern University,Professor Axel Rominger; Professor of the Department of Nuclear Medicine in Ankara University, Ozlem Kuchuk and other gave presentations at the symposium.