Strengthening Mongolia’s response to zoonotic diseases

Today, under the leadership of Minister Dr T Munkhsaikhan,  the Ministry of Health (MoH), WHO, the National Centre for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD), convened the national, provincial and city zoonotic disease centres for a full-day workshop on the "Prioritization of Zoonotic Diseases". This event is part of the Government’s continued efforts to strengthen health security and improve preparedness for the growing risks posed by zoonotic diseases.

With over 30 of the 200 known zoonoses globally recorded in Mongolia, and increasing interaction between humans, livestock, wildlife, and the environment, the country faces a high risk of emerging and re-emerging health threats. The workshop aims to identify priority zoonotic diseases by region, strengthen surveillance and laboratory capacity, and guide the effective use of resources, including support from the Pandemic Fund.

A high-performing system for health security is central to achieving the vision set out in the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2024–2028. This includes building robust systems for prevention, preparedness, and response to health emergencies. WHO continues to support Mongolia in implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR), particularly in enhancing surveillance and the rapid detection of public health threats.

Mongolia’s second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) highlighted key areas for strengthening zoonotic disease control:

• Expanding human resource capacity and prioritizing zoonotic disease control.
• Extending surveillance efforts to include wildlife populations using a One Health approach.
• Digitizing existing disease databases and improving spatial surveillance and data use.
• Strengthening diagnostic capacity in subnational laboratories, with regular training for outbreak detection and response.

Today’s workshop directly supports the implementation of these recommendations.

WHO will continue to support he NCZD, under the leadership of MoH and with funding from the Pandemic Fund to build strong and resilient public health systems in Mongolia. 

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