Mongolia Expands Workforce Capacity to Tackle Cancer with Global Partnerships

Ochirbat Dagvadorj, then State Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, emphasized the importance of making quality cancer care accessible.

Mongolia is advancing its fight against cancer by enhancing early detection and treatment capabilities, supported by international expertise from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). An imPACT Review mission, conducted in May 2024, has assessed Mongolia’s cancer control efforts and will help inform a new National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) under development.

Ochirbat Dagvadorj, then State Secretary of the Ministry of Health of Mongolia, emphasized the importance of making quality cancer care accessible. He highlighted the financial strain of cancer treatment on government resources and underscored the need for prevention and early detection to reduce this burden.

In 2022, Mongolia recorded 6,699 new cancer cases, with liver cancer being the most common among both men and women. Nearly 5,000 people succumbed to cancer in the same year. The imPACT Review identified early detection and awareness raising as key strategies to curb these mortality rates.

WHO Representative to Mongolia, Socorro Escalante, noted the significance of this review in advancing cancer control, emphasizing the importance of skilled human resources, early diagnosis, and access to quality treatment. The review will shape the future of cancer care by incorporating scientific innovations and enhancing the quality of life for cancer patients.

A significant milestone in Mongolia’s cancer control efforts was the September 2023 signing of a triangular cooperation agreement with the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) and the IAEA. This agreement will bolster Mongolia’s nuclear medicine and radiation oncology capabilities through the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative. KIRAMS President Jin Kyung LEE praised the successful transfer of nuclear medicine technology to Mongolia, enhancing the country’s cancer treatment services.

Additionally, Mongolia participates in the Global Medicine Platform by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, offering free medicines to children with cancer. The country also engages in the WHO's Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, promoting early screening, awareness campaigns, and vaccination efforts to fight cervical cancer.

The imPACT Review mission team also met with various UN agencies and development partners to explore collaboration opportunities that could further strengthen Mongolia’s cancer control programme.

IAEA’s Programme Management Officer for Mongolia, Denis Subbotnitskiy, praised Mongolia’s progress in cancer control and expressed confidence that the imPACT Review’s findings would help expand early cancer diagnosis and care under the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme. "By aligning our efforts to Mongolia’s specific needs, we aim to deliver life-saving changes for cancer patients across the country," he said.