“Women Initiatives for Development” Public Union held an event for women at the Detention Center #4 on June 18, 2019, within the frameworks of “Holding Public Awareness on Virus Hepatitis” project under the financial assistance of the Council of State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations near the President of the Azerbaijan Republic.
Sevda Zamanova, deputy chair of the Detention Center #4, colonel-lieutenant of justice, who started the event with her opening remarks highlighted the importance of work implemented by “Women Initiatives for Development” Public Union to enlighten women prisoners.
Ziba Nabiyeva, the Chair of the organization and the head of the Project, who started her speech expressed her gratitude to the head of the Penitentiary Service of Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan for opportunities created to hold the event. She continued her speech related with the topic of the Project and mentioned that at locations of longtime close communication between people the risk of contamination with infectious diseases increases. From this point of view there is a great need to establish and propaganda healthy behavior rules. It is important to be widely aware of some dangerous diseases. For example, Hepatitis “B” and “D”, as well as Hepatitis C are considered dangerous infectious diseases. Hepatitis “B” and “C” have been officially listed in the Azerbaijan Republic among dangerous infectious diseases since 2011.
According to the official statistics about 10% of world population has been contaminated with the mentioned viruses. Taking into consideration seriousness of medical-social problems this disease creates in the world community an activity plan called “Global Strategy on Virus Hepatitis” has been accepted at the 69th session of World Health Assembly in 2016. The purpose is to mobilize all the forces to struggle against this disease and to decrease considerably the amount of new contamination and fatalities cases. To achieve those goals the activity of the members of civil society is highly appreciated in the global strategy program. From this perspective in support of socially oriented state policy in struggling with infectious diseases our organization executes the abovementioned Project with the purpose of strengthening civil society initiatives in struggling against viral hepatitis.
An electronic presentation “About viral hepatitis” has been developed within the framework of the Project. Through the presentation, the head of the Project Ziba Nabiyeva shared information and advices with the women-prisoners on what hepatitis is, the varieties of viral hepatitis, history of their discovery, the symptoms of the disease, clinic flow, the ways of contamination, rules of protection against the disease and preventive measures. The presented information was supported by different pictures and animation clips.
A doctor, physician-hepatologist Nurana Isabalayeva and a doctor-functionalist, project coordinator on tuberculosis Samira Mukhtarova responded to the questions of women-prisoners in the event which was delivered in an interactive way. Related to the topic they gave information on the diseases which accompany viral hepatitis and co-infections.
With the purpose to provide awareness among the prisoners and to extend the coverage the representative of Penitentiary Service was presented a board in the dimension of 0.7mx1m and 300 flyers specially designed which reflected the ways of contamination of viral hepatitis within the frameworks of the project.
The attendees of the event were the chair of medical sanitary section of the Detention Center#4 of the Penitentiary Service, the major of medical service, Nargiz Abdullayeva, the inspector of Medical Head Department of Ministry of Justice, the major of medical service, Farman Farmanov, a doctor of medical sanitary department, the captain of medical service, Aliya Farmanova, a chief of the brigade of the Detention Center #4, the captain of justice, Lamiya Aliyeva and 150 women prisoners.
Similar events will be held by “Women Initiatives for Development” Public Union in July at general penal colony #6 for men and educational institution for juveniles.
