In their appeal, they emphasize that, as followers of Akhunbaev's school, they consider it important not only to immortalize his memory but also to view this decision as a strategic step towards uniting the professional community and directing the development of high-tech medicine in Kyrgyzstan.
Isa Konoievich Akhunbaev is regarded as the founder of Kyrgyz cardiac surgery, as he performed the first heart surgery in Central Asia in 1959—a commissurotomy for mitral stenosis. This event brought the medicine of the Kyrgyz SSR to an international level.
“The Scientific Research Institute of Heart Surgery and Organ Transplantation is the actual heir to the scientific ideas and practices that Akhunbaev developed in the thoracic surgery department in the 1960s. Naming the institute after the founder will strengthen its status as the main heir to his school. It will also confirm that cardiac surgery is an independent high-tech discipline with a rich history and a founder who possesses high scientific and ethical authority in the country,” the authors of the appeal add.
Furthermore, they note that Akhunbaev's name is known beyond Kyrgyzstan and is valued in the international scientific community, especially in the CIS and the Turkic world. “Establishing an institute bearing his name will simplify the establishment of international connections, as well as provide opportunities for obtaining grants and participating in international associations of cardiothoracic surgeons. This will create a Kyrgyz brand that ensures the continuity of the school and adherence to ethical principles, as Akhunbaev is known for his dedication to patients,” the cardiothoracic surgeons assert.
The appeal also mentions that Akhunbaev's name has served as a moral compass for both experienced and young surgeons at the Scientific Research Institute of Heart Surgery and Organ Transplantation for over half a century. His life journey—from a simple shepherd to an academician and a legend of world surgery—inspires many.
“Creating a 'cult of professionalism' around Akhunbaev's name contributes to the formation of a corporate culture at the institute focused on results and continuous learning, which is extremely important for saving lives. The name of the great ancestor obliges us to meet the highest global standards and unites the country's cardiothoracic surgeons under a common banner,” the appeal states.
Naming the institute will strengthen the national scientific tradition, enhance the international recognition of the school, and create a brand for Kyrgyz cardiac surgery, as well as pay tribute to the person who laid the foundations of healthcare in the republic.
Signatories of the appeal include:
- Candidate of Medical Sciences Bekbolot u. Nurbolot;
- Candidate of Medical Sciences A. K. Turdubaev;
- The community of cardiothoracic surgeons.
