On April 28-29, 2022, a conference on "Healthy behavior theories and prevention of non-communicable diseases" was held at the Public Health and Reforms Center of the Ministry of Health. Rahib Mammadov, deputy director of PHRC, stated in his opening speech that the burden of non-communicable diseases is currently increasing in all countries around the world: "According to the latest report of the World Health Organization on the state of non-communicable diseases, 41 million people in the world die from NCD’s. This represents 71 percent of all recorded deaths. For this reason, prevention of non-communicable diseases and reduction of morbidity and disability among the population is one of the priority directions”.

Samir Mehdiyev, head of the Health Technologies Department of PHRC, Tofig Musayev, head of the Public Health Department, Nabil Seyidov, head of the Health Policy and Planning Department, Ulkar Jamalova, deputy head of the Project Coordination Department, Konul Ismayilova, a doctor-methodologist of PHRC, made extensive presentations.

The conference provided detailed information on the global burden of non-communicable diseases and the current situation in this direction in Azerbaijan, threats to health: tobacco control and the program approach of the World Health Organization, the application and long-term role of new information technologies in medicine, the theory of health beliefs and its application in public health, health communications and health promotion detailed information on the role of communication channels, as well as other topics. It was emphasized that the formation and promotion of healthy behavior among the population is the most effective strategy to prevent of non-communicable diseases.

It should be noted that the conference was accredited by the Scientific-Medical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan and was awarded 6 credit points for continuous medical education.