ICRC to end program for treatment of tuberculosis among prisoners in Azerbaijan

This year, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will complete in Azerbaijan the implementation of treatment programs for prisoners with tuberculosis, said the employee of the ICRC in Azerbaijan Elchin Mukhtarly.

"From next year, the treatment program will be implemented by the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan," he said.

According to Mukhtarly, the Committee has begun to cooperate with Azerbaijan in this field since 1995 and until today provided treatment to more than 10,500 prisoners suffering from tuberculosis. According to him, during this period, the treatment for more than 5,400 prisoners completed successfully, treatment was provided for more than 300 patients with MDR TB (tuberculosis, XDR).  

Mukhtarly said that if at the beginning of the program in prisons, each year 450 patients died, in 2009 the mortality rate was 3%.

He added that the treatment of patients with simple tuberculosis (eight-month courses) costs $100, and the treatment of MDR TB (24 months) costs 50,000 euros. "These funds are paid by the Global Fond with the assistance of the Green Light Committee," said Mukhtarly.


/Trend/