Health in Mongolia

Modern Mongolia inherited a relatively good healthcare system from its socialist period.

On average Mongolia's infant mortality rate is less than half of that of similarly economically developed countries, its under-five mortality rate and life expectancy are all better on average than other nations with similar GDP per capita.

[2] Yet, adult health deteriorated during the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century and mortality rates increased significantly.

[citation needed] The Mongolian Red Cross Society focuses on preventive work.

[16] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Mongolia achieves 96.2% of what is expected based on its current income.

[16] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 79.2% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income.

[17] Mongolia lacks an equivalent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and government capabilities are limited.

[19][20] Healthcare in Mongolia was developed from 1922 under the Soviet Semashko model with a large hospital and clinical network.

The ratio of doctors to the general population increased dramatically, so that in 1990, there were more than 6,000 physicians, three-quarters of whom were women.The medical care system was accessible at little or no cost even in the most remote areas.

Until the end of the 19th century, medical services were provided by Buddhist monks who practised traditional medicine and knew Chinese, Tibetan, and Indian remedies.

[22] Mongolia had the highest consumption of antibiotics of any country in the world in 2015 with a rate of 64.4 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day.

[4] The Health Insurance Fund will not pay for people who go directly to hospitals without a referral.

In 2002, the total number of health workers was 33,273, of whom 6823 were doctors, 788 pharmacists, 7802 nurses, and 14,091 mid-level personnel.

The Mongolian armed forces run a Hospital Unit in Darfur with 68 personnel, 34 men and 34 women, which provides health care, emergency resuscitation and stabilization, surgical interventions, and basic dental care for UN personnel.