Improving social welfare and protecting the health of people are constantly in the focus of attention of the President Ilham Aliyev.

Strengthening social welfare of the population is a priority in state policy of Azerbaijan. Recent reforms, especially reforms conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrated it once again. During global coronavirus pandemic, engulfed the whole world, under the conditions of strong need in global cooperation, many states, as well international and regional institutions, failed to demonstrate international solidarity, becoming confused and isolated. Under the conditions of the need in global leadership, the President Ilham Aliyev put forward great initiative and, demonstrating that "isolation syndrome" would not benefit anyone, managed to unite countries with different political and ideological structures from all the world, thereby, thanks to his policy in connection with Covid-19, once again strengthened the faith and trust in Azerbaijan, its President in the international arena. The measures taken by the head of state related to the pandemic were highly appreciated by international organizations. The establishment of the Coronavirus protection fund in Azerbaijan for the first time and the allocation of annual salary of the President Ilham Aliyev to the Fund were received with sympathy by the population of the country, and this practice was quickly applied by other states. Timely closure of the borders, application of special quarantine regime in the country, and mobilization of all the internal resources serve to protect the health of people. With purpose of provision of economic stability under the conditions of the epidemic, help vulnerable groups of the population, and solving the problems related to the employment, a large package of social and economic support was accepted. Two large enterprises that had been built and put into operation in a short time the production of protective masks and medical clothing, which will fully provide the population, started. Thus, our country created a prerequisite for getting out of the Covid-19 pandemic that has engulfed the world, with minimal losses. Today, public support for the activities implemented in Azerbaijan in the field of fighting against the coronavirus is at a high level. Azerbaijan is one of the leading countries in terms of the number of tests per million people. In spite of that the pandemic is going on, at the initiative and as resolute step of the President Ilham Aliyev, the Summit on the topic "We are together against Covid-19" was held on May 4, 2020, through a videoconference in the format of the Contact group of the Non-aligned movement, dedicated to the fighting against the coronavirus. The respect and honour shown to Azerbaijan shows that our country managed to gain great reputation in the international arena. He once again proved commitment to his promise. The fact that the integration of different power associations into global community takes place namely at the summit held under the leadership of the President of Azerbaijan informs about very significant moments. The format of the Contact group established in the Non-aligned Movement got great support from the member countries. Commendable step was the allocation of 5 million USD to the World Health Organization in order to provide emergency assistance to the most vulnerable member countries of the movement. The letter of the Director-General of the World Health Organization addressed to the President of Azerbaijan highly appreciated the steps taken by the administration of Azerbaijan; Azerbaijan was named a model country. Indeed, the head of state became a leader for the countries of the world in the fighting against the "Covid-19" disaster. Thus, step-by-step restrictive measures were applied, and success was achieved, not by trying to follow the events, but by the anticipating them. The working system of state hospitals in Azerbaijan was quickly organized in absolutely new format. Within comprehensive measures taken in this field, the building of 10 modular hospitals is of particular importance. Thus, it plays exceptional role in terms of increasing the Fund of infectious beds in order to sustain the patients, the number of which is able to grow. At present, the work on the installation of 10 modular hospitals is going on. Two of them will be installed in Baku, while others will be installed in different regions of the country. As a result of the attention and care of the head of state for the people of Gabala, the construction of modular hospital with 200 beds has already begun in our region. Thanks to the putting these hospitals into use a reserve of the health system of our country of more than 2,000 extra beds will be created. Besides, today more than 20 state hospitals were allocated for the treatment of the coronavirus patients, with this purpose, 23 laboratories started functioning in the country. Azerbaijan is one of the leading countries in terms of the number of tests per million people. Before the pandemic and even during it, physicians and medical workers in Azerbaijan were treated with care, and today their work is also highly appreciated. Thanks to comprehensive measures aimed at correct organization of the treatment process, Azerbaijan is able to get out of this situation with minimal losses. Public support for the activities implemented in Azerbaijan in the field of fighting against the coronavirus is at a high level. A package of social and economic support in amount of about 2 billion USD was allocated to the victims of the pandemic. The work implemented in the field of the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in our country, organization of the treatment of this virus at the highest level, and ensuring their rapid recovery, is under direct control of the head of state. Necessary preventive, proactive and urgent measures has been taken since the moment the virus begins to spread. It may be no accident that today, the Director-General of the World Health Organization shows Azerbaijan to other states as an example in the fighting against the pandemic. The promotion of multilateral diplomacy and the strengthening of cooperation and solidarity between the member states of the Non-aligned movement were established by the President Ilham Aliyev as one of the priorities of the chairmanship of Azerbaijan in the Non-aligned movement. It should be noted that at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chair of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, Ilham Aliyev, extraordinary Summit of Turkic Council was also held via videoconference on April 10 this year. Turkish Council is the first international organization on a global scale which hold a summit on the coronavirus pandemic at the level of heads of state. Mentioned measures are significant contribution to further strengthening international solidarity at global level. Azerbaijan takes effective steps in the fighting against COVID-19 not only at national level, but also makes significant contribution to the strengthening solidarity and cooperation against the coronavirus on regional and global scale. State of Azerbaijan, through its social policy during this pandemic, which is sensitive to society, has once again confirmed that it is close to its citizens.