J.ophthalmol.(Ukraine).2021;3:83-84.
http://doi.org/10.31288/oftalmolzh202138384
TO CITE THIS ARTICLE:In Memoriam: Tetiana Andriivna Alifanova. J.ophthalmol.(Ukraine).2021;3:83-84. http://doi.org/10.31288/oftalmolzh202138384
In Memoriam: Tetiana Andriivna Alifanova
Tetiana Andriivna Alifanova, a wonderful person, a highly-skilled ophthalmologist and a talented scientist passed away on December 12, 2020.
After graduating from the department of general medicine at Dnipropetrovsk Medical Institute of the Order of Red Banner of Labor in 1983, she was appointed to Dnipropetrovsk Institute for Restoration and Expertise of the Disabled Persons’ Ability to Work (DIREDPAW, currently, Ukrainian State Research Institute for Medical and Social Problems of Disability, USRIMSPD) and worked there until August, 2020.
Tetiana Andriivna was a pupil of Josyp Lvovych Ferfil'faĭn, an outstanding scientist, under whose guidance she pursued and completed her candidate of science thesis on the subject of “The ways of improving rehabilitation of blind and visually impaired schoolchildren in the Ukrainian SSR”. The Higher Attestation Commission of the USSR conferred upon her the degree of candidate of science in medicine.
Tetiana Andriivna devoted her life to treating patients with eye disease or eye trauma and rehabilitating visually disabled persons.
She worked her way from junior researcher to senior researcher in 1997, became Head of the Ophthalmology Research Department of the institute in 2001, and was Head of the Clinical Ophthalmology Department from 2010 to 2019.
Tetiana Andriivna was a highly-skilled researcher and a competent clinician. She participated in performing (1) the tasks assigned by the Ministry of Health and administration of the sociomedical examination service, (2) nine scheduled research projects, and (3) joint research activities with the Filatov Institute of Eye Disease and Tissue Therapy.
Tetiana Andriivna initiated the establishment of the Center for Sociomedical Rehabilitation of Visually Disabled Persons for providing adults and children with a disabling eye disease with consultations and therapeutic and surgical restorative treatment. She was actively implementing innovations and novel diagnostic and treatment means into practice.
Tetiana Andriivna Alifanova performed a broad range of clinical activities including rounds, clinical and clinical-and-expert reviews, training, and treatment (particularly, surgical laser treatment), etc., and was a Board Certified Ophthalmologist. She was an excellent lecturer and delivered reports at international, national and regional conferences, congresses and symposia.
In addition, Tetiana Andriivna was a co-organizer of the 1st National conference on Sociomedical Rehabilitation of Children with Severe Eye Disease in Ukraine (1994) and a Conference with international participation on the topic “Current Issues of the Sociomedical Examination and Rehabilitation of Visually Disabled Persons (11-12 September, 2003, Ukrainian State Research Institute for Medical and Social Problems of Disability, Dnipropetrovsk).
She was involved in building the capacity of relevant Medico-Social Expert Commissions in Ukraine, schools for the blind and visually impaired, and enterprises of the Ukrainian Association of the Blind.
She shared her knowledge and experience in the field in her monographs “Eye diseases and disability” (1996), “Professional orientation and vocational training of adolescents and adults disabled since childhood” (2000), “Disabling limitations in vital activity of children and adults due to eye disease. Medical and social examination” (2006), and “Professional rehabilitation of visually disabled persons (ophthalmological aspects)” (2011), manual “Medical and social examination and rehabilitation in eye disease” (2019), methodological guidelines “Current methods of restorative treatment for patients with disabling eye diseases” (1997), “Informative value of fundus disease in expert assessment of the severity and pattern of the course of arterial hypertension” (2004), and “Structural and functional model of building the capacity of double-specialty Medico-Social Expert Commissions” (2011).
Tetiana Andriivna was awarded diplomas from the Ministry of Health and Ukrainian Parliament, diplomas and Letters of Acknowledgement from regional and city administrations, Association of Pediatric Ophthalmologists, and administration of the institute for her faithful work of many years, substantial personal contribution to the development of health management system, high professionalism, dedication and participatory citizenship.
She held respect and confidence of her colleagues from not only the institute she worked at, but also from across Ukraine. Tetiana Andriivna was a wonderful, intelligent and compassionate person. Contacting her was always a pleasure.
Tetiana Andriivna had time to pass her knowledge and unique experience to numerous pupils and followers, including her son, Ihor Serhiiovych Alifanov; nephew, Vadym Gennadiiovych Pecherii, personnel of the department, and trainee physicians.
We are deeply sorry that Tetiana Andriivna left this world too early, but we will always keep a warm memory of her.