November 5, 2015 Mongolia

Policy makers´ seminar

Training for government representatives responsible for the health system was held October 3^rd to 6^th in the Mongolian province of Zavchan. The program introduced the use of mobile dispensaries in “gers” (yurts) that can be run in remote rural areas. The program induced participants to possibilities for expanding this kind of health care to members of Parliament, the Government of Mongolia and local governments.

The training was divided into two parts. On the first day, the participants visited one of the dispensaries established earlier by Caritas Czech Republic. The visitors were given a picture of the usual work of a mobile dispensary.  The following day, participants watched short presentations delivered by representatives of individual provinces where mobile dispensaries are already working (including Bayan-Olgi, Gobi Altaj and Khovd in Western Mongolia). These presentations proved that technology exists to assist in providing health care in remote areas of the country.

A Member of Parliament and important clerks from the Ministry of Health and Physical Education attended this seminar. Their attendance should help push through the idea of introducing mobile dispensaries at the national level. Indeed, the Ministry of Health and Physical Education said in their conclusion that they want to establish a working group that would prepare recommendations for the maintenance and extension of mobile health services in Mongolia.

Caritas Czech Republic and another Czech NGO involved in the project - People in Need - are co-operating to extend primary health care to remote rural areas.  This project is supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mongolian Ministry of Health and Physical Education and the Czech Republic.