Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia marks World Hepatitis Day with remarkable achievement
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ World Hepatitis Day is being marked today in Mongolia in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) under the theme ‘Test, Treat Hepatitis’. Opening ceremony of the Day took place at Sukhbaatar square.
The Government of Mongolia set a goal to make longer average life expectancy of the population, adopting Mongolia Sustainable Development Vision 2030. The Government of Mongolia and WHO approved 2015-2021 medium term cooperation strategy and the country is implementing 2016-2020 Government action plan targeted to increasing access to detection, diagnosis and treatment as well as the national program ‘Healthy Liver Mongolia’. “Mongolia is focusing on prevention rather than curing illness, providing citizens with health education. I want all citizens to be active and strive to engrain healthy life style,” said Deputy PM U.Enkhtuvshin in his opening remarks.
In the period of May 2017 and May 2018 or in the first stage of the ‘Healthy Liver Mongolia’ national program, which targeted the 40–65 year age group, more than 350 thousand people got tested for hepatitis. “Over 70 percent of people diagnosed with hepatitis were provided with life-saving treatment. The program aims to provide hepatitis B and C screening to 1.8 million people aged above 15. In 2017, the Government of Mongolia spent MNT 11.8 million for liver disease prevention and MNT 29.9 million has been budgeted for it this year. The Government set a goal to reduce new hepatitis C infection among population and to drastically decrease hepatitis-related mortality in the country. I am fully confident that Mongolia can achieve this goal by 2020” Health Minister D.Sarangerel stated.
Representatives of WHO remarked Mongolia's great achievement in elimination of hepatitis infection although the country has high rate of liver cancer and cirrhosis in the world.
“Mongolia has the highest rate of liver cancer in the world but the country has shown great commitment, addressing to these issues through the national program ‘Healthy Liver Mongolia’. Ensuring access to diagnosis and treatment for all who need it is ambitious universal health cover agenda. As we work towards the goal of eliminating hepatitis, Mongolia sets a great example for other countries to follow, said Dr. Shing Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
Over a year of implementation of the program, 262.500 people out of 350 thousand people with liver disease have recovered. To prevent from liver disease, specialists advised that it is important to properly use alcoholic drinks, to ensure sanitation well and to use more vitamin C and fruits and vegetables.
B.Batchimeg
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