The Lives of Others. All About Hearing. Republic of Dagestan
The specifics of the territory and the traditional way of life make their own adjustments to the provision of ENT care to the residents of Dagestan.
The Chief Otorhinolaryngologist of Russia for the North Caucasian Federal District, Head of the Department of Ear, Throat, and Nose Diseases with Advanced Training for Doctors at Dagestan State Medical University, Doctor of Medical Sciences Yunuskadi Askhabaliyevich Dzhamaludinov, spoke about the development of otorhinolaryngology in the republic.
The Chief Otorhinolaryngologist of Russia for the North Caucasian Federal District, Head of the Department of Ear, Throat, and Nose Diseases with Advanced Training for Doctors at Dagestan State Medical University, Doctor of Medical Sciences Yunuskadi Askhabaliyevich Dzhamaludinov, spoke about the development of otorhinolaryngology in the republic.
Brief reference about the Republic of Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is the southernmost region of the Russian Federation, occupies a favorable geostrategic position, and has direct access to international sea routes. The region shares land and sea borders with five states: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The total length of the territory from south to north is about 400 km, from west to east — 200 km.
The Republic is divided into 51 municipalities: 41 districts and 10 cities. The largest cities are Makhachkala, Khasavyurt, Derbent, and Kaspiysk. 54.9% of the republic’s population are rural residents.
In terms of the diversity of vegetation and climatic zones, Dagestan has no equal in Russia: from the subtropical forest in the mouth of the Samur River, the deserts and semi-deserts in the north of the republic to the high-mountain tundra and glaciers.
The Republic of Dagestan is the southernmost region of the Russian Federation, occupies a favorable geostrategic position, and has direct access to international sea routes. The region shares land and sea borders with five states: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The total length of the territory from south to north is about 400 km, from west to east — 200 km.
The Republic is divided into 51 municipalities: 41 districts and 10 cities. The largest cities are Makhachkala, Khasavyurt, Derbent, and Kaspiysk. 54.9% of the republic’s population are rural residents.
In terms of the diversity of vegetation and climatic zones, Dagestan has no equal in Russia: from the subtropical forest in the mouth of the Samur River, the deserts and semi-deserts in the north of the republic to the high-mountain tundra and glaciers.
The population of the Republic of Dagestan is 3,110,858 people, including:
- children under the age of 6 — 313,030 people;
- teenagers (schoolchildren) aged 7 to 17 — 365,137 people; young people aged 18 to 29 — 375,247 people;
- adults aged 30 to 60 — 1,335,725 people;
- elderly people over 60 — 584,841 people, and long-livers of the Republic of Dagestan over 80 years old — 136,878 people.
— What stood out professionally for otorhinolaryngology in the Republic of Dagestan in the past year 2025?
— In 2025, in Kislovodsk, in collaboration with the Southern Federal District, we held a scientific-practical conference of otorhinolaryngologists of the North Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) with international participation, where leading otorhinolaryngologists from various cities of our country delivered presentations. As part of the conference, a meeting of the chief otorhinolaryngologists of the NCFD regions was held to discuss the state of local ENT services, and ways to improve the provision of ENT care on the ground were outlined. Dmitry Yulievich Lipson, Head of the Department of Organizational and Methodological Guidance for Regional Medical Organizations in the fields of "otorhinolaryngology" and "audiology-otorhinolaryngology" at the National Medical Research Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) of Russia, took part in the meeting.
I would also like to note that in 2025, the Republic of Dagestan successfully achieved full staffing of otorhinolaryngologists in its cities and districts. Furthermore, two medical facilities in Makhachkala have begun providing high-tech medical care to the republic’s population in full capacity.
I would also like to note that in 2025, the Republic of Dagestan successfully achieved full staffing of otorhinolaryngologists in its cities and districts. Furthermore, two medical facilities in Makhachkala have begun providing high-tech medical care to the republic’s population in full capacity.
— How do you assess the level of development of ENT care in the republic and the NCFD as a whole? Do the region’s characteristics—geography, mentality, and the traditions of the people—affect the organization of medical care and its effectiveness? What difficulties in improving ENT services could you note?
— In the Republic of Dagestan and the NCFD as a whole, the state of the ENT service can be considered satisfactory. Specialized outpatient and inpatient care is well-organized in the Stavropol Territory, the republics of Karachay-Cherkessia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia-Alania, and the Chechen Republic; the service is slightly weaker in the Republic of Ingushetia.
The climatic and geographical features of the NCFD regions, along with the mentality and traditions of the peoples living in these territories, make their own adjustments to the provision of medical care. This is especially true for patient routing. In some cases, certain settlements can only be reached by air ambulance. To improve the service, it is necessary to open inter-district ENT departments and upgrade the material base of ENT offices in district and city medical facilities to increase the accessibility and quality of medical care.
— What are the latest statistics on the prevalence of ENT diseases among the population of the Republic of Dagestan?
— The statistics on the prevalence of ENT diseases in the Republic of Dagestan are as follows: in first place are patients with diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses — 40.7%; in second place are ear diseases — 27.9%; in third place are diseases of the pharynx — 27.7%; and in fourth place are diseases of the larynx and trachea — 3.7%.
The distribution is approximately the same across the NCFD regions.
The distribution is approximately the same across the NCFD regions.
— Where can residents of the NCFD receive help related to hearing impairments?
— The provision of specialized medical care for patients with hearing impairments is best organized in the NCFD in the Stavropol Territory and the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, where audiological centers operate effectively. High-tech medical care in all areas of the specialty is provided in three medical facilities in the Stavropol Territory and two in Dagestan. To these, one can add three private (non-state) medical institutions.
— In your observation, how popular is otolaryngology among young specialists and medical students? How, in your opinion, does the new generation of ENT doctors differ in terms of professional training, motivation, and goal-setting?
— If before the modern era of the Russian Federation the specialty of otolaryngology was chosen by only a few, nowadays the number of people wishing to specialize in otolaryngology has increased significantly. For example, 40 clinical residents are currently studying at our department.
Unfortunately, for the majority of students, otolaryngology is primarily a means to improve their financial situation. As a rule, they get jobs in private institutions, where they focus exclusively on conservative therapy. Few residents aspire to pursue major surgery.
— Tell us about the scientific work of the department you head. In what directions is the work being carried out? What successes of specialists and students could you note? What do you personally see as the goal of scientific work?
— At our Department of Ear, Throat, and Nose Diseases with Advanced Training for Doctors, there are six main employees and four part-time workers. Among them, nine hold a Candidate of Medical Sciences degree, and one is preparing a dissertation for defense. Scientific research is dedicated to the study of allergic diseases of the upper respiratory tract and the development of a methodology for the comprehensive study of the immune system in frequently ill children with ENT pathologies. In December 2025, at a meeting of the Dissertation Council of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Throat, Nose, and Speech, our department’s postgraduate student Z. M. Saidov defended his Candidate of Medical Sciences dissertation on the topic "Prognostic factors of clinical outcomes of tympanoplasty in tubotympanic chronic suppurative otitis media."
A student circle operates at the department for those who wish to become otorhinolaryngologists in the future. 6th-year medical student Patimat Muslimova was awarded the named scholarship from the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation. Members of our department’s student circle regularly win prizes at All-Russian and international competitions.
Of course, scientific work is of great importance alongside our educational and pedagogical efforts. We strive to ensure that our scientific developments are applied in practical settings for the benefit of our patients. We regularly take an active part in scientific-practical conferences in our specialty, where we present our developments in the form of reports. In the republic, we annually hold All-Russian scale conferences with the participation of foreign specialists.
A scientific-practical conference is scheduled for July 10, 2026, in which more than ten foreign delegations have expressed a desire to participate. The conference will be held in the ancient city of Derbent.
A student circle operates at the department for those who wish to become otorhinolaryngologists in the future. 6th-year medical student Patimat Muslimova was awarded the named scholarship from the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation. Members of our department’s student circle regularly win prizes at All-Russian and international competitions.
Of course, scientific work is of great importance alongside our educational and pedagogical efforts. We strive to ensure that our scientific developments are applied in practical settings for the benefit of our patients. We regularly take an active part in scientific-practical conferences in our specialty, where we present our developments in the form of reports. In the republic, we annually hold All-Russian scale conferences with the participation of foreign specialists.
A scientific-practical conference is scheduled for July 10, 2026, in which more than ten foreign delegations have expressed a desire to participate. The conference will be held in the ancient city of Derbent.
— Is there a shortage of medical personnel in otolaryngology in Dagestan? What is the reason for the lack of specialists? What measures are being taken to solve personnel problems?
— In the Republic of Dagestan, there is no personnel shortage. Otorhinolaryngologists work in all cities and districts. However, this cannot be said about audiologists. According to staffing standards, there should be one specialist per 100,000 adult population, which means there should be 33 audiologists for a population of over 3 million people. To date, there are only 6 audiologists working in state medical institutions in the Republic of Dagestan. Private medical centers have taken advantage of the shortage of audiologists in state polyclinics. We plan to solve the audiologist shortage based on the experience of Stavropol and Kabardino-Balkaria by creating a Republican Audiological and Phoniatric Center.
— In 2023, you were awarded a 1st-degree diploma for winning the competition for the best mentor in the state healthcare system of the Republic of Dagestan. How do you think, what is the role of a mentor in the profession? How can an effective mentoring system in medicine look in practice? What qualities should a mentor possess, and can any experienced doctor become a mentor for a young specialist?
— Yes, indeed, in 2023 I won the Republican competition for the best mentor in the State Healthcare System of the Republic of Dagestan, organized by the Republican Trade Union of Medical Workers. We were all young specialists once; we were taught by senior colleagues. I personally owe a lot to my mentor-teacher, Shakhman Davudovich Davudov.
My opinion is that each of us experienced specialists is obliged to train young professionals and pass on to them the experience accumulated over the years. It should also be noted that mentoring is not just about teaching one to diagnose, treat, and operate. It is necessary for moral and ethical education, which is incredibly important in medicine.
— What once interested you in otolaryngology, and what prospects can this branch of medicine open for the young generation of doctors today? What do you see as the future of the specialty?
— I can say that I ended up in otorhinolaryngology by chance. In my youth, like many guys, I also dreamed of major surgery, but it turned out that during job placement, I was assigned to the disposal of the medical institute, and there were no vacancies in the surgical departments. I was then offered a position at the Department of ENT Diseases, which I initially refused. While I was thinking and deciding what to do next, the residency spot was given to someone else, and I was offered a position at the Department of ENT Diseases. There, I sequentially progressed from senior laboratory assistant to assistant, associate professor, professor of the department, and finally, its head. I am grateful to fate that everything turned out exactly this way.
I dream that in the future we will overcome allergic rhinitis, nasal polyposis, and the problems of hearing impairment and deafness, and, of course, oncological diseases in general and in otorhinolaryngology in particular.
For many years now, at the first introductory lecture to students, I have been praising my specialty and telling them that otorhinolaryngology is not just outpatient surgery, but also major surgery (hearing restoration surgery, oncological surgery, laryngotracheal surgery, and functional endoscopic sinus surgery).
In conclusion, I want to thank the caring people who did not abandon our republic in a difficult moment. Practically the whole country took this pain as its own and actively participated in the elimination of the consequences of the flood. When we are together, there are no insurmountable problems!
In conclusion, I want to thank the caring people who did not abandon our republic in a difficult moment. Practically the whole country took this pain as its own and actively participated in the elimination of the consequences of the flood. When we are together, there are no insurmountable problems!