In 2022, Save the Children implemented a project to bolster local health systems in Mongolia to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, “Technical Assistance to Strengthen the COVID-19 Response in Mongolia under “Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC)” was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and administered by FHI 360 (Family Health International).
The project focused on providing technical assistance activities to strengthen the capacity of health care providers on emergency critical care for COVID-19, ventilator use and its maintenance. As well, it aimed to strengthen the medical oxygen availability in rural Mongolia by supporting Soum or primary health care facilities. The project also supported to build medical oxygen therapy capacity of healthcare staff providing COVID-19 care at Soum health care facilities.
Health facilities of 11 provinces received ventilators and consumables whereas primary health centers in 330 soums in 21 provinces received oxygen cylinders and associated consumables. These interventions supported health centers in remote rural areas to use oxygen cylinders for intensive, emergency and surgical care, as well as for transporting critical patients to next level hospitals. The project also strengthened capacity of biomedical engineers and technicians to repair, maintain and track ventilators and oxygen related equipment and consumables.