The 100th anniversary of the birth of academician Veli Yusif oglu Akhundov, a prominent scientist and statesman of Azerbaijan, one of the brightest personalities of our people, is coming to an end.
It is very difficult to write about such a great man and great personality as Vali Akhundov, to cover his life in its entirety. It is impossible not to emphasize his intelligence, culture and love for his people. According to those who knew V. Akhundov, each meeting with him gave a person spiritual pleasure, his high erudition, deep knowledge, ability to analyze and evaluate facts made an impression on people.
Veli Yusif oglu Akhundov was born on May 14, 1916 in the Saray village of Baku and lived a long life. The young man, who received his first education in a rural school, then graduated from a factory school, an art school, the Baku Industrial Technical College, in 1937 entered the Azerbaijan Medical Institute. He worked in his positions. After graduating from high school, V. Akhundov, who was called up for military service in 1941 and participated in the Great Patriotic War, went from a private doctor to the position of commander of a special medical and sanitary battalion in the 20th infantry division at the front, fought in battles on the territory Russia, Belarus, Germany and Czechoslovakia. Having fulfilled his duty with honor, he was demobilized from the army and returned to Baku in 1946. He worked as an assistant at the Department of the History of Medicine at the Medical Institute, a researcher at the Research Institute of Epidemiology, Microbiology and Hygiene, then as a director.
The ability to skillfully combine scientific activity with social and political activity played a big role in promoting Vali Akhundov to a number of responsible positions. Over the years, he worked as chairman of the Republican Committee of the Trade Union of Medical Workers of Azerbaijan, First Deputy Minister of Health, Head of the Baku Health Department, Deputy Head of Department under the Central Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan.
Vali Akhundov, who served as the Minister of Health of Azerbaijan in 1954-1958, studied the sanitary and epidemiological state of large industrial cities, led the development and implementation of mass sanitary and epidemiological measures to protect public health and improve medical services. Based on his recommendations, measures to improve the sanitation of cities and villages were also carried out in other parts of the former Soviet Union.
Theoretical training and great experience of V. Akhundov created the basis for his many years of work in very responsible and high positions of the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1958-1959). ), First Secretary of the Central Committee (1959-1969).
V. Akhundov did not stop his scientific activity even while working in leadership positions. The results of his research are reflected in candidate and doctoral dissertations. In 1966, Vali Akhundov was awarded the academic title of “Professor”. In 1969 he was elected an academician of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences.
After being released from the post of the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, V. Akhundov devoted himself entirely to scientific activity. V. Akhundov, vice-president of the Academy of Sciences in 1969-1972, had a wide range of scientific interests. Patterns of the relationship between human health and environmental factors, social hygiene and medical cybernetics, pesticide turnover in food products, and other research, development and implementation of scientific reasonable measures to reduce the incidence of the population, the organization of scientific research formed the main directions of his scientific activity.
In 1972-1986, Academician V.Akhundov headed the Research Institute of Virology, Microbiology and Hygiene. During his leadership at the institute, extensive scientific research was carried out in these areas, there were almost revolutionary changes in the level of research, in the expansion of topics, in the application of new methods of information processing. Thanks to the initiative and foresight of V. Akhundov, many scientific conferences and congresses were held on the basis of the institute, including scientific conferences in English for the first time in the republic. To conduct research at the modern level, under the leadership of V. Akhundov, an additional building was built at the institute, equipped with modern medical equipment and put into operation.
Master Vali did his best to train highly qualified national personnel and demanded the same from others. Under his leadership, a large number of doctoral and master’s theses were defended. The legacy of V. Akhundov, who is the author of 5 monographs, 11 brochures, more than 150 scientific papers, as well as more than 350 mass scientific articles and speeches on the culture and economy of the republic, socio-political issues, is still alive in the medical community, in general, is a very useful resource for intellectuals.
The public activity of Academician V. Akhundov was also wide. He was the chairman of the scientific society of Azerbaijani hygienists and sanitary doctors, a member of a number of scientific societies, committees and commissions. He was repeatedly elected a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Union and the Republic, represented our people, for whom he had great love, in higher instances and defended their interests.
Academician V.Akhundov, a prominent scientist, an outstanding public figure, a skilled organizer of science and healthcare, a bright mind, a person of high culture and human qualities, embodied such qualities as simplicity, sincerity, business acumen, exactingness towards himself and his subordinates, accent in his homeland and nation. And he was also a wonderful and caring family man, he did everything possible to raise his children as decent people.
For many years of socio-political, scientific and organizational activity, as well as for his services in the Great Patriotic War, V. Akhundov was awarded a number of orders and medals.
Academician Veli Akhundov died on August 22, 1986 in Baku and was buried in Fakhri Khiyaban. Although this person, who lived and worked all his life for the benefit of his people, was not in our ranks for almost 30 years, he is never forgotten.
In 1996, by the Decree of the late President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, the awarding of the name of Academician Vali Akhundov to the National Research Medical and Preventive Institute was a manifestation of respect and honor that he deserved for this great scientist and prominent political figure. We are proud that our institute bears the name of such a pure, honest person as Vali Akhundov, who loves his people, bows before their history, culture, music, language and traditions, and we faithfully continue his path.
According to the Decree of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, in 1996, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the birth of Academician V.Akhundov, the great leader spoke at a meeting held at the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, and emphasized: “The role of V.Akhundov as the first leader of Azerbaijan in the work done and the success achieved at that time is great”, deserves a high price, and it is with great pleasure that I celebrate it today.”
Many years will pass, but the bright memory of Vali Akhundov, the unforgettable son of our people, who won immortality with his bright life, will forever remain in our hearts. Future generations will always remember him as a great personality, an outstanding scientist, doctor, public figure.