The Public Health and Reforms Center (PHRC) of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan implemented the project "The impact of co-infections of HIV and viral hepatitis C on the results of treatment of tuberculosis patients with multidrug resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis among prisoners." The project was implemented with the financial support of the Global Fund for 2 years - from March 28, 2011 to March 28, 2013.

The following issues were studied, researched and identified in the project:

1. The prevalence of co-infections among patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was determined.
2. The severity of clinical manifestations of co-infections was determined.
3. According to the results of treatment (successful / unsuccessful), a control and experimental groups of patients with MDR TB were formed.
4. The relationship of identified risk factors, including co-infections, with treatment outcomes was analyzed in a univariate analysis.
5. A multivariate analysis of the interaction of the identified risk factors was carried out and their prognostic value for unsuccessful treatment was determined.
6. The role and place of co-infections during the tuberculosis process in patients with MDR TB was determined.
7. Recommendations are developed based on the results of the study.

The study used data from the electronic database of the penitentiary sector - a database of patients with MDR TB, including demographic, social, clinical and laboratory indicators. A study of the impact of co-infections on the effectiveness of the treatment of patients with MDR TB in the penitentiary system was carried out for the first time.

Based on the study, recommendations were developed for the control of patients with MDR TB and co-infections (HIV and hepatitis C virus).

The results of the project were presented in the report.

Upon completion of the project on May 29, 2013, with the financial support of USAID, the VI Scientific and Practical Conference on Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases was held. The conference was attended by deputies of the National Assembly, representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice, the Public Health and Reforms Center of the Ministry of Health, the Azerbaijan Medical University, anti-tuberculosis dispensaries No. 1 and No. 4 of Baku, the dispensary for pulmonary diseases of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic and ABT Associates Inc.

At this conference, public health specialist Gulnara Hajizade made a presentation of the above project, which reflected information about the relevance of this problem, the purpose of this study, the use of relevant materials and methods, including the results of the study.