The department was first organized in 1993. Historically, its roots were laid back in 1984, when at the Faculty of Pharmacology, Tajik State Medical Institute named after Abu Ali ibn Sino. Abu Ali ibn Sino Department of Clinical Pharmacology with Course of Cardiology was founded, and a great contribution to the creation of the Department, its development and daily activities is the merit of the permanent from 1984-2014 the Head of the Department Rakhimov Zakriyo Yakhyaevich, who embodied in a reality the aspirations of his great teachers, such as Valentina Ivanovna Zaitseva, Amonullo Yakhyaevich Orifov. The Republican Clinical Center of Cardiology (RCCC) became the clinical base for the chair. Since 1990 the department functioned at the Faculty of Advanced Training of Physicians under the name “Department of Clinical Cardiology, Functional Diagnostics and Clinical Pharmacology”, which after transformation of the Faculty of Advanced Training into the independent Institute for Advanced Training of Physicians, since 1993 was renamed as “Department of Cardiology” of Tajik Institute of Postgraduate Education of Medical Staff. In connection with the reforms of health care and the urgent need to introduce international programs, including in the field of medical education, the Department of Cardiology later reopened the course of clinical pharmacology. Since 2015, the Department’s additional base was the cardiology department of the K. Akhmedov City Medical Center.
Within the framework of independent Tajikistan, the Department continued its active training and development of personnel, patronage and advisory work and research activities. Despite the arisen economic difficulties, the chair has shown persistence in realization of plans and among many was the first in separate directions of scientific and pedagogical activity. So, since 1993 the chair was the first to renew exit cycles for improvement of doctors from remote regions (GBAO, Kulyab, Kurgan-Tyube and others) and first among the chairs of institute since 1995 years introduced and successfully held a number of certification cycles, as well as introduced new interactive methods of teaching. This allowed then, again, to be the first within the framework of postgraduate training, to introduce full-time, including off-site, cycles of training. The main objective of teaching activity of the Department is training and upgrading of doctors on the issues of clinical cardiology and functional diagnostics, as well as the main sections of clinical pharmacology. The main aim of educational activity of the course of clinical pharmacology is the doctors’ advanced training on the WHO program “Rational Use of Medicines”, teaching the practitioners the basics of evidence-based medicine and making of evidence-based diagnostic and treatment protocols, including teaching the basics of clinical pharmacology as a related discipline in the clinical residency and internship of RT Institute of Postgraduate Education in Public Health.
According to the approved schedule, the Department of Cardiology with a Course of Clinical Pharmacology provides cycles of specialization in cardiology, training at clinical residency and internship, postgraduate, doctoral studies and thematic improvement of doctors in the sections: Clinical Electrocardiography, Emergency Cardiology and also provides certification cycles of the main sections of clinical cardiology. The clinical pharmacology course regularly conducts topical trainings of physicians, including full-time and field cycles of the following sections: “Fundamentals of intensive care and clinical pharmacology in cardiology and therapy”, “Current issues of modern pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular diseases” and “Clinical protocols of diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases”. Besides, the nursing staff is trained within the framework of primary specialization “Nursing in cardiology department” and “Nursing in functional department”, as well as cycles of advanced training of nurses.
Since 1992, The Department has conducted annual field cycles in regional centers (Kurgan-Tyube, Kulyab, Khorog, and Khujand). Khujand) and in regions of Republican Subordination (Gissar, Tursunzadev, Shahrinav, Vahdat, Rasht), and also carried out series of exit seminars on international programs in 22 regions of the RT with total attendance more than 4000 doctors of primary level on “Differential prescription of antibiotics”, “Evidence-based medicine in pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular diseases”, and since 2014 implementation of the “Protocol of the package of basic measures for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (PEN), WHO” in Tajikistan.
During 24 years about 2000 specialists were trained by the department and the course, including 197 clinical interns, 73 clinical interns, 166 doctors and 79 nurses were trained by the courses of specialization, and also thematic improvement of 1062 doctors and 167 specialists of the middle link was conducted. Also for these years at the Department were prepared 16 postgraduate students and applicants who have successfully defended their dissertations and one doctoral dissertation in cardiology, which received approval of HAC RF: Olimov N.H. “Predictors of impaired extracardiac rhythm regulation and sudden death in patients with myocardial infarction” (14.00.06 – cardiology), Moscow 2009.
Since the first years of its existence, the chair has been solving the urgent problems of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases. Three subjects of scientific research were also carried out in this field:
2000-2005. “Primary and secondary prophylaxis of arterial hypertension and ischemic heart disease, inflammatory and dystrophic affections of myocardium in Tajikistan”.
2005-2010. – “Improving the quality of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension in Tajikistan”.
2011-2015. – “Assessment of quality and efficiency of implementation of advanced technologies and modern protocols of diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension in cardiology service of Tajikistan”.
Currently, the work on the new approved research topic was started: “Improving Prevention and Control of Major Non-Communicable Diseases in the Republic of Tajikistan”.
Within the framework of these research activities by the department staff were introduced and implemented epidemiological interventions to screen for CVDs and their risk factors on the programs CINDY, STEPS/WHO, HEART.
Only for the last 15 years employees of the department have published 437 works, from them journal articles – 63, articles in the materials of congresses and conferences – 159, theses – 168 (from them – 135 outside the RT), monographs – 9, manuals – 12, methodical recommendations – 15, clinical protocols/practical recommendations – 8, clinical manuals – 1. Approved 37 rationalization proposals. Employees of the department and course are co-authors of “National program of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease in Tajikistan for the period 2007-2015”, Drug formulary of the Republic of Tajikistan, National Strategy “Perspectives of prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and injuries for the period 2013-2023” and several other documents of Republican level, as well as actively participate in working groups and expert committees in the field of noncommunicable diseases, revision and approval of clinical protocols, clinical guidelines.
Employees of the Department and the course regularly participate in the activities of international congresses “Man and Drug”, “Cardiology 2000 – 2003 and 2005”, congresses of the Association of Cardiology in CIS and CAG, as well as in the activities of the International Congresses of Cardiology in Japan (Kyoto, 1983), United States (Washington, 1990), Austria (Vienna, 2003, 2004), Germany (Munich, 2004), China (Kunming, 2007), Hungary (Budapest, 2007), UAE (Dubai, 2012), National Congress of Cardiology of Russian Federation, not to mention the Republican scientific-practical conferences, congresses and seminars.
As it was mentioned above, the founder and permanent head of the department for more than 20 years was Rakhimov Zakriyo Yakhyaevich, who for his achievements and contribution to the development of the Institute, cardiology service and health in general was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of the Department by the order ¹ 48 of 07.04.2014. At that time, by the decision of the Academic Council, Nasim Khoja Olimzoda, who in connection with his appointment as deputy minister in the same year was transferred to the position of professor of the department, was appointed as head of the department. Currently, the Department of Cardiology with a course of clinical pharmacology is headed by candidate of medical sciences Narzullaeva Adolat Rakhmatullaevna. In addition the staff of the department has another 5.5 rates, 3.5 of which are occupied by assistants: Candidate of Medical Sciences, doctor of higher category Bakhromi M.T., doctor of higher category Urunbaeva D.S., doctor of higher category Goibova Z.V., and also Asoev I.M, Besides, the remaining 2,0 rates are occupied by part-time assistants – Eltanazarov M.D., candidate of medical sciences, doctor of the highest category of therapeutic faculty dean of SEI “IPOSZRT”, Salimov J.M., candidate of medical sciences, associate professor, doctor of the highest category Nozirov J.H., doctor of the highest category Samadov Sh.H.
In the coming years, the Department of Cardiology with a course of clinical pharmacology plans to restore the course of functional diagnosis in therapy, as well as begin training and improvement of clinical pharmacologists in accordance with the main directions of the “National Strategy for Health of the Republic of Tajikistan for the period 2011-2020” in the optimization of “National Drug Policy”, as well as implementation of National Strategy “Perspectives for prevention and control of NCD and injury in Tajikistan for the period 2013-2023”.