Kakish Ryskulova, in Kyrgyz: Какиш Рыскулова (15 October 1918[note 1] - 26 August 2018) was a medical doctor and politician from Kyrgyzstan, who was an Academician of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences. She was the first central Asian and first Kyrgyz woman to become a surgeon.
Kakish Ryskulova | |
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Born | October 15, 1918 Chetindi, Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan |
Died | August 26, 2018 | (aged 99)
Citizenship | Kyrgyzstan |
Occupation(s) | Surgeon, politician |
Known for | First woman surgeon in Kyrgyzstan |
Medical career | |
Field | Vascular surgery |
Institutions | Kyrgyz State Medical Academy |
Ryskulova was born on 15 October 1918 in the village of Chetindi, Ysyk-Ata district, Chuy oblast.[1] An orphan by the age of ten, her uncle, Ishenali Arabaev, encouraged her to apply to go to boarding school; it was her uncle who also encouraged her to eventually apply to go to medical college.[2] She began to study nursing at Frunze Medical School in 1936.[3] After she left the medical school she worked as a paramedic in Batken, and as a nurse in Naryn.[2] In 1940, Ryskulova began to study at the medical faculty of the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy, which she graduated from in 1944.[4] Study there enabled her to move to graduate school, where she was the first woman from central Asia to become a surgeon.[2][4] Two other Kyrgyz people to become surgeons alongside Ryskulova were I.K. Akhunbaev and Zyfar Egemberdieva.[5]
In 1951 she graduated with a DPhil in Medicine.[4] Her doctoral dissertation was on vascular surgery.[2] The research for this project began several years earlier, after she graduated and began to treat patients who were wounded in the Second World War.[4] Her dissertation was entitled "Arrhythmias and the benefits of mechanical suturing of blood vessels and nerves in veins".[citation needed] Through her research she developed a new technique for repairing veins and arteries and continued to specialise in vascular medicine, as well as working in a variety of other disciplines.[4] In 1968 she was awarded the title of Professor of Medicine.[3] In 1969 she was appointed as an academician of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences.[citation needed] Prior to her retirement, she was Head of the Faculty of Medicine for thirty-five years.[4] Ryskulova also was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR and was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kirghiz SSR.[4]
Ryskulova died on 26 August 2018. Her funeral was held on 28 August at the Kyrgyz Drama Theatre.[citation needed] Her official obituary was signed by the President of Kyrgyzstan Soronbai Jeenbekov.[1]
The Department of Surgery at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy is named after Ryskulova, in honour of her achievements.[6]
Ryskulova was married to Omorkul Suleymanov. They had two daughters, and also adopted two of her nephews. All are doctors, apart from her daughter Anara Suleymanova, who was a professional ballerina.[citation needed]