In November 2016, the Public Health and Reforms Center (PHRC) carried out a project to assess the need for palliative care services in Azerbaijan. The project was implemented in accordance with paragraphs 9.1.3 and 9.3.1 of the "Action Plan of the Ministry of Health for the implementation of the Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2015-2020" and paragraph 3.3.11 of the "Action Plan of the Strategy of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2014-2020”.

A palliative care needs assessment was necessary to address the following questions:

- Preparation of proposals for human and technical resources, as well as methodological and institutional changes for the creation of a palliative care service,

- Identifying the main problems that hinder the establishment of palliative care services and making suggestions for their elimination,

- Identification of the main patient groups and diseases in need of palliative care,

- Analysis of the available opportunities for the future palliative care service in the regions and determination of the necessary measures for the establishment of the service,

- Providing proposals on the most optimal structure and staffing for the establishment of palliative care services,

- Preliminarily determining the list of drugs and other medical supplies needed by patients who will receive palliative care.

Within the framework of the project, surveys and focus group discussions were conducted among doctors, paramedics, patients and management staff of health departments and medical institutions. The questionnaires used for the research were prepared on the basis of sample questionnaires applied in Turkey, USA, Kazakhstan and other countries and their reliability was confirmed.

In general, 325 patients (including potential patients), and 223 medical workers (chief physician, deputy chief physician, doctor, midwife and employees of health departments) from the cities of Baku, Sumgayit, Ganja, Sheki, Lankaran and Shirvan, as well as Guba and Goychay regions participated in the survey.

The data collected during the implementation of the project was analyzed and a report was prepared based on the results of the survey and focus group discussions. A round table was organized at the Public Health and Reforms Center with the participation of oncologists, narcologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, pediatricians, public health specialists and representatives of other stakeholders in order to discuss the results in more detail and plan further steps. The discussion was attended by the Director of the Public Health and Reforms Center Jeyhun Mammadov, the Chief Oncologist of the Ministry of Health Azad Karimli, the Chief Physician of the Oncological Dispensary of the AMU Nasimi Gasimov and others. They expressed their opinion and gave their recommendations on the steps to be taken in this area in the future.