Elchibey’s doctor: “He knew his disease was in an advanced stage”
The interview with professor Cankon Germiyanoglu, who currently works in the urology department of Ankara Oncology Hospital, was conducted by journalist Ilhama Gasimli.
– When did the story of you becoming Elchibey’s doctor begin?
– Our first contact with Elchibey was in Ankara, at the hospital where I worked.
He was first seen in late February or early March (2000) I saw when he came to Turkey, to our hospital. Osman Durmuş, the Minister of Health at that time, told me that a Turkish elder had some diseases, that he would come to Turkey by plane and be examined in our hospital, maybe he needed an operation, maybe a treatment. So we waited at the hospital. Dear the president came in the evening after work, at night. We did the necessary analyzes for him. This is how we first came into contact with him.
– What was his condition when he first came to the hospital?
– When he first arrived, we did not know his condition. But after the analysis and examinations, we found out that it was prostate cancer. We performed tests on the stage of the disease and how far it has spread in the body.
– What stage was the disease?
– I can say this – it was late, the tumor had spread to some parts of his body. It was a very advanced tumor. He was at a stage where there was no chance of surgery and he needed to be treated with some drugs.
– I was worried about Elchibey’s health during his stay in Turkey. He was sleeping in Ankara hospital, in our clinic. We applied various treatment methods to him. It was still a little better then.
– To Azerbaijan after he left, he had a trip to America.
He called me on the phone in early July. He said his condition was not good.
Therefore, I state the situation to the minister Osman Durmuş news gave. He and me To Azerbaijan dispatched, Ankara-Istanbul-Baku I went by flight. I arrived in Baku early in the morning. welcomed me Baku they took him to a country house where he stayed. There, I re-examined Elchibey and assessed his condition.
– How was the situation?
– It was bad. His condition was disturbed. I even told myself that it is important to be treated in Turkey. He did not want to leave Azerbaijan at that time. I forced a little, to be treated in Baku [mümkün] I said that it could not be, that he should go to Turkey. There were no planes every day in those days anyway. I July 7, 20Evening in 00 Baku– I brought Elchibey to Ankara on the Istanbul-Ankara flight.
That day Elchibey he gave me a Baku painting and sent my wife a gift of a flower. Even now, on these gifts that I keep in my house, “07.07.2000″ date is written. That’s why I remember the date clearly.
Elchibey I was with him when he took his last steps in Baku.
Abulfaz The flower that Elchibey’s doctor Cankon Germiyanoglu sent as a gift to his wife.
– Weather How was the departure ceremony at the port?
– I don’t want to say some things, but weather he was not treated very well in port. Nothing was done against me, but when passing Elchibey through passport control 10– They made me wait for 15 minutes. As a result, this man Azerbaijan had been the president, he had to be passed from there without waiting even a minute.
– Did he talk to you about his dreams? Was he waiting for his death?
– I don’t think he is waiting for his death. He was a man of faith.
I once asked him why he had a beard. He said, I will cut my beard when Tabriz becomes independent. South as far as I can tell Azerbaijan He was a man who dreamed and hoped for his independence.
– Did he know that his disease was progressing rapidly? Was he told that his condition was serious?
– We have already informed him about some of his health issues. We talked about the level of tumor. He knew that his disease was in an advanced stage.
– The very rapid development of Elchibey’s illness created the possibility of conspiracy against him…
– His illness did not progress very fast, he was already late for treatment. When he came to Turkey, he had advanced, delayed prostate cancer. It is impossible to know his condition before coming to Turkey – we don’t know what was done, whether he received treatment. But, in any case, he did not receive treatment. Because we made the first diagnosis.
– When do you think Elchibey’s illness started?
– In any case, it was a long time ago, maybe years ago.