June 10, 2016
Mongolia
In October 2015, a seminar on the mobile health care services was held for local people from the remote rural areas of Zavchan province in Mongolia. Althoughthere has been no reliable legal framework, healthcare services are still provided – in the form of first-aid stations in yurts placed across the whole province and by way of vehicles equipped with medications and medical supplies.
Members of Parliament, the State Secretary, the head of the health care department of the Ministry of Health and Sport, the director of National Centre for Health Development and the directors of ten Regional Diagnostic and Treatment Centres who also took part in the seminar were informed about the functioning of mobile first-aid stations in yurts.
The Ministry of Health and Sport has subsequently joined a newly created working group which also consists of the representatives of the World Health Organisation and local medical departments. As a result of the recommendations from the experts from five western provinces (Bajan-Olgí, Khovd, Gobi Altaj, Chovsgol and Umnogobi) a regulation on providing health care services via mobile first-aid stations was drafted In April 2016, it was successfully passed by the Ministry of Health and Sport committee.
After the regulation was officially approved by the Ministry on the 29th April, the handbook was sent to 21 Mongolian provinces as a reference technical document which can be used across the country.
The activities for improving accessibility to primary health care services in rural areas are organised by Caritas Czech Republic in cooperation with People in Need. Funding was provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
