Results of The Denan Project assessed in Arkhangai Province

Save the Children in Mongolia has been implementing health projects funded by The Denan Project in Tariat Soum, Arkhangai province since 2011, in Erdenemandal Soum since 2017, and in Chandmani Soum, Gobi-Altai province since 2022. The project also provides necessary equipment, apparatus, and medicines for Health Care Centers, and has supported the Health Club activities in general education schools by providing equipment.

On July 25-26, 2024, The Denan Project initiator and President Dick Young, Board Member Jean Shin, and Save the Children’s Health Project Officer B. Nomin reviewed the results of the projects implemented in Arkhangai province.

The Denan Project, funded by Save the Children, has supported many activities at the Tariat Soum Health Care Center, such as training of doctors and specialists, providing equipment, establishing a dental office, financially supporting fuel costs for doctors, and establishing a student health club. E. Davaanyam, the head of the Tariat Soum Health Care Center, presented the project’s impact and the hospital’s activities, noting the need to renovate beds in the children’s ward and upgrade some outdated equipment in the dental office.

B. Purevdulam, the dentist said, “We have provided services to over 20,000 patients. In 2017, when we conducted preventive screenings for oral health among children in the soum’s kindergarten and school, the prevalence of dental caries was 98%, but it has now decreased to 83%”.

The project team met with R. Gandiymaa, Director of the Arkhangai Provincial Health Department, to discuss future plans. During the meeting, Director R. Gandiymaa shared the results of the project, highlighting the population growth and increased number of examinations in Tariat and Erdenemandal soums over the past 10 years, and the absence of maternal and child mortality. She expressed gratitude for the significant contributions of The Denan Project in providing medical equipment, training specialists, and offering various forms of support.

                             

At the end of the meeting, R. Gandiymaa sought the possibility to provide additional support, including winter clothing for soum doctors responding to calls during the cold season, increased fuel allowances for travel, mobile diagnostic equipment for the Erdenemandal soum hospital, and equipment for the new rehabilitation room in the Tariat soum hospital.

The Denan Project initiator and President Dick Young shared his thoughts after visiting Gobi-Altai, Zavkhan, and Arkhangai provinces, saying, “This trip was very inspiring. We identified many issues that need addressing and many things we want to do. Now we need to determine which of these issues are the most important. Of course, there will be challenges. We will discuss on these with the Save the Children team and present them to the decision-making governing council”.