One of the first to change the system was Elizabeth Blackwell — the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States. She not only became a practicing physician, but also opened a medical school for women, expanding access to the profession. The founder of modern nursing is considered to be Florence Nightingale. Her work proved a direct connection between sanitation, hygiene, and the reduction of mortality in hospitals, which became the foundation of public health. The name Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie has forever entered the history of science: she introduced the concept of radioactivity, became the first woman — a Nobel Prize laureate, and laid the foundations of radiology and radiation therapy. During World War I, she organized mobile radiological services that saved thousands of lives. Virginia Apgar developed a simple and ingenious scale for assessing the condition of newborns, which is used worldwide and has significantly reduced infant mortality. A significant contribution to molecular biology was made by Rosalind Franklin, whose X-ray studies made it possible to reveal the structure of DNA. Gertrude B. Elion became a co-author of drugs against leukemia, malaria, herpes, and HIV infection, transforming the pharmacology of the 20th century. Nettie Stevens was the first to describe the role of X and Y chromosomes in determining sex. A special page in history remains James Barry, also known as Margaret Ann Bulkley — a woman surgeon forced to work under a male name in the 19th century, who performed one of the first successful cesarean sections in Africa. The fact that James was actually a woman became known only after his death, when the body was being prepared for burial.
In the history of Kazakhstan, an important place is occupied by Ummi-Gulsum Asfendiyarova — the first Kazakh woman with a medical diploma, who contributed to the development of obstetrics and the reduction of maternal mortality. A significant contribution to oncology was made by Sofya Shakirovna Baymakanova — professor, founder of the Department of Head and Neck Tumors of KazNIIOiR and the school of oncolaryngology. Kazakh physiologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Nailya Bazanova became the first female academician in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Nailya Urazgulovna stood at the origins of a new branch of biological science for Kazakhstan — the physiology of agricultural animals.
Today, women actively develop clinical and scientific medicine, lead departments and clinics, publish in international journals, and implement innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment. Their professionalism is combined with a high level of empathy and attentiveness to the patient, which directly affects adherence to treatment and the quality of medical care. The contribution of women to science and healthcare has been and remains enormous. Without their discoveries, courage, and perseverance, it is impossible to imagine the past, present, or future of medicine.
Vitaliy KAMKHEN,
PhD, Associate Professor-Researcher of the Department of Health Policy and Organization
A. BAIKENZHEEVA,
Doctoral student, dermatologist-venereologist
