On October 15, 2026, healthcare officials, program coordinators, and civil society experts convened in Baku at the Sapphir Hotel for a thematic round table dedicated to migrant health and access to HIV services. Organized by the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) on International Health Programs under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the meeting brought together leadership of the Republican AIDS Combat Center, the Ministry of Health, the Global Fund Project Implementation Unit, State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Innternational Organisation for Migration and local civil society partners. The primary goal of the consultation was to review regional experiences and discuss a national roadmap for maintaining continuous, accessible HIV services for both foreign citizens residing in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani nationals temporarily living and working abroad. The event was opened by Dr. Famil Mammadov, Director, Republican AIDS Combat Center.
A central focus of the discussions was the inclusion of dedicated migrant-focused interventions within Azerbaijan’s Grant Cycle 8 (GC8) application to the Global Fund. Presented by Mehriban Askerova, Finance Officer of the Project Implementation Unit, this component was developed in close collaboration with community organizations and NGOs affected by the epidemic. The planned program emphasizes two coordinated directions: expanding outreach and confidential testing options for labor migrants, seasonal workers, and returning nationals within Azerbaijan, alongside establishing structured mechanisms for remote enrollment and treatment support for Azerbaijani citizens diagnosed while in the Russian Federation. Implementation relies on close synergy between Republican AIDS Center specialists, clinicians, and community groups capable of conducting peer navigation, bridging communication gaps, and supporting long-term adherence.
The technical discussions opened with an analysis of epidemiological trends and regional contexts presented by Dr. Gunash Jafarova, Deputy Director of the Republican AIDS Combat Center, and Daniel Kashnitsky, Chair of the Board of the Regional Expert Group on Migration and Health. National data highlights that mobility is an important operational consideration in the response to HIV, with a notable share of newly registered cases occurring among citizens who return from abroad or have a history of cross-border travel. At the same time, regional studies from across Europe and Eurasia underscore that vulnerability often increases during migration itself, as individuals may encounter difficulties navigating unfamiliar legal systems, health insurance frameworks, or fear administrative scrutiny.
Economic and clinical arguments for ensuring timely and uninterrupted care were presented by Leyla Suleymanova of the CCM. Drawing on national assessment models, the presentation demonstrated that ensuring early, routine outpatient access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is significantly more cost-effective for health systems than managing severe clinical complications and hospitalizations associated with late-stage diagnosis. Ensuring that individuals have consistent access to medication and monitoring not only protects patient well-being and prevents health deterioration, but also aligns with broader public health goals, including the principle that effective treatment reduces transmission risk.
To address the practical realities faced by nationals outside the country, Oleg Eryomin of the Regional Expert Group onn Migration and Health shared regional practices on remote patient registration and treatment continuity, drawing on established approaches in neighboring EECA countries. Participants discussed the legal, logistical, and medical nuances of remote care pathways, including the recognition of external laboratory diagnostics, teleconsultations with Baku clinicians, structured follow-up, and organized options for transferring medications, such as multi-month dispensing via trusted proxies or partner civil society networks. The round table concluded with a consensus to continue inter-agency dialogue involving healthcare authorities, migration services, and civil society partners to develop balanced, practical procedures that protect individual health and ensure continuity of care across borders.