Findings Overall, 3057 deaths occurred during 41 959 person–years of follow-up (mortality: 7.3 per 100 person–years; 95% confidence
interval, CI: 7.0–7.5). Mortality 6 months after starting ART was significantly lower with ART and MMT than with ART only (6.6 versus 16.9 per
100 person–years, respectively; P<0.001). After 12 months, mortality was 3.7 and 7.4 per 100 person–years in the two groups, respectively
(P<0.001). Not having received MMT was an independent predictor of death (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.3–1.6). Other predictors
were a low haemoglobin level and a low CD4+ T-lymphocyte count at ART initiation and treatment at facilities other than infectious disease
hospitals.
Conclusion Patients would benefit more from both MMT and HIV treatment programmes and would face fewer barriers to care if crossreferrals between programmes were promoted and ART and MMT services were located together.