WHO Director-General to visit us

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ A Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Ms Margaret Chan will pay an official visit to Mongolia August 11-14. She has been invited by Health Minister of Mongolia, this Ministry reported Wednesday. Ms Chan has been serving as the WHO Director-General since 2006. She has previously served as Director of Health in the Hong Kong Government (1994-2003), representative of the WHO Director-General for Pandemic Influenza and WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases (2003-2006). The history of the World Health Organization in Mongolia includes 42 years of collaboration since 18 April 1962. Mongolia was initially a member of the South East Asia Regional Office from 1963 till 1995. In July 1995 the Government of Mongolia joined the Western Pacific Region. Although Mongolia does not belong geographically to South East Asia, it requested to join this Region for geographical reasons. The Basic Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Mongolia and World Health Organization (WHO) was signed on 21 June 1963 by Dr C. Mani, Director for South East Asia and Mr M.Dugersuren, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, after which a Medical Officer was engaged to coordinate WHO projects. Initially there were only three fields of cooperation--control of communicable diseases, laboratory services and maternal and child health. Since that time, WHO has collaborated with the Mongolian government in over 30 projects. The WHO Representative Office was established in Ulaanbaatar in 1971. During the last four decades, WHO has made significant contributions to the implementation of national policies and efforts to improve the health and social well-being of the people of Mongolia. It has additionally played a major role with the Ministry of health in health system development and the reform process through various technical inputs. WHO has contributed to the development of national health policy including a focus on reducing maternal and child deaths and diseases, restructuring and financing of health care services, health insurance, human resources development, strengthening health information system and establishment of multi sectoral integrated approaches for health promotion. Mongolia’s active participation and significant role in WHO is widely recognized by other fellow-member states. Mongolian representatives have been elected as President, Vice-President of the World Health Assembly, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Regional Committee Meetings 3 times. Furthermore, Mongolian representatives have served as a member of the Scientific Consultative Committee of WHO/SEARO as well as an international civil servant in both Regional and field offices, thus making contribution to the promotion of WHO goals. Mongolia has hosted meeting of the Regional Committee in 1967, 1977 and 1994 and has hosted a Regional Seminar on PHC in Khovsgol aimag in 1984. Additionally, Mongolia hosted the 12th Meeting of the Ministers of Health or regional countries in 1994. The WHO will continue to work with and support Mongolia through the Ministry of Health. Highlighting global and regional health goals to prevent and protect humankind from devastating ill health in an era of globalization with increasing inter-dependencies between countries WHO’s future support will be focused on Government, regional and worldwide priorities. For Mongolia these priorities include supporting the country wide provision of basic health services particularly for rural populations, reduction of maternal and infant mortality, communicable diseases and improvement of essential drug supply, technology development, management and repair of equipment, a revision of the financing mechanisms for health services particularly those servicing vulnerable population, establishing an immunization fund, developing human resources and managerial capacity and improving licensing and accreditation of health personnel and facilities.