Ulaanbaatar, May 30, 2023 /MONTSAME/. In response to the growing need for specialized care for burns and injuries, the Burn Center under the National Traumatology and Orthopedics Research Center opened yesterday. The Burn Center has nine wards and 250 beds to provide comprehensive and accessible medical services including burns, sports injuries, emergency care, intensive care, surgical anesthesia, orthopedics, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and ambulatory care.

The center provides both emergency and inpatient care for burns and injuries. Annually, the center expects to treat approximately 35,000-40,000 emergency patients, 15,000-20,000 outpatients, 6,000-7,000 inpatients, and 2,500-3,000 surgical patients. The establishment of this center is projected to alleviate the burden on the National Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics Research Center by reducing its patient load by 25-30 percent. Additionally, it is anticipated to decrease the need for costly diagnoses and treatments abroad.

Overall, the Burn Center aims to enhance access to quality medical care, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the strain on existing healthcare facilities and expensive treatments abroad.

Despite the delay in the construction process, the Burn Center’s Block A was commissioned in July 2022, commencing burn care services. Now the center is fully operational with the opening of Block B, an eight-story hospital building.

In 2009, the State Specialized Inspection Authority concluded that the old building of the Burn Center, which was built in 1957, was not safe for use and the construction of the new building was stagnant for eight years due to financial issues. The Governments of Mongolia and Kuwait agreed to spend the nonrefundable aid of USD 8 million from the Kuwait Fund for constructing the new building and for medical equipment.

The inaugural ceremony for Block B was attended by the Prime Minister of Mongolia, L. Oyun-Erdene, who delivered a speech emphasizing the government's commitment to completing projects within a designated timeframe. Thanking the Government of Kuwait and the Kuwait Fund, the PM noted that “We will shift to a system that ensures the completion of projects within 2-3 years of the designated financial timeframe. In line with this policy, substantial investments have been made in the health sector from 2021 to 2023, equivalent to the cumulative investment amount made over the past decade.”

Modern medical and diagnostic equipment has been installed in the Center and human resources have been prepared thanks to the allocation of MNT 7 billion when the Parliament amended the state budget in 2021.

The Prime Minister's remarks underscore the government's dedication to prioritizing and enhancing the healthcare infrastructure, thus contributing to the overall advancement of healthcare services in the country.