Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Of the 4,412 people that died due to cancer in Mongolia in 2018, 77 percent were diagnosed in the later stages of the disease. Participants of the conference held under the theme, ‘21st century - Cancer-free Mongolia’, initiated by the Mongolian National Broadcaster highlighted the higher chance of effective treatment for cancer when diagnosed early. 

The conference was co-organized by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Policy, Education, Culture, and Science, the Ministry of Health, the Governor’s Office of the Capital City, and the National Cancer Center at the State House yesterday on October 30.

While there are 14.1 million new cases and 8.2 million deaths due to cancer worldwide annually, as of 2018, there have been 6,073 new cases and of the total of 4,412 cancer-related deaths, 77 percent were due to late diagnosis in Mongolia, noted in the opening remarks MP D.Oyunkhorol gave at the conference. She then said, “The Mongolian Parliament and the Government are taking specific step-by-step measures against cancer. For instance, there will be specially equipped vehicles that will provide citizens of the 21 aimags with mobile hospital services from 2020 with a long-term soft loan of EUR 3.8 million from the Government of Poland. On October 17, the amendment to the Law on Health that was initiated by MP D.Damba-Ochir was approved, creating the legal framework for citizens to be involved in regular check-ups by putting them into categories of their age and risk of getting cancer. During this time when the Parliament is discussing the state budget for 2020, we are currently giving special attention to allocating an addition of MNT 19.8 billion that is necessary for financing the expansion of the National Cancer Center that will reduce wait times for hospital beds by twice the amount.”

Deputy Minister of Health L.Byambasuren highlighted that the Government of Mongolia financially supported 97 citizens that required immediate treatment overseas with MNT 238 million between 2016 and 2018, and the Ministry is working towards bringing the benefits of the ‘Whole Liver-Mongolia’ national programme to every citizen and household. 

As of October 28, of the over 949 thousand citizens involved in check-ups for Hepatitis B and C, over 13,000 and over 19,000 citizens have been treated for the C and B viruses respectively in the framework of the programme. During his presentation, Director of the National Cancer Center J.Chinburen said, “Over 70 thousand citizens that had Hepatitis B and C have been treated in Mongolia since 2016. In other words, we were able to successfully protect over 70 thousand citizens from liver cancer. This shows that Mongolians can diagnose cancer at an early stage and give treatment,” and highlighted that the main causes are bad habits, such as drinking and smoking, as well as being overweight.

Over 70 percent of cancer patients in Mongolia is in the age group of 45 and above, with patients with liver cancer at 36 percent, and gastric cancer at 15 percent.