Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Yesterday, on April 23, Speaker of the Parliament G.Zandanshatar participated in ‘COVID-19’ virtual meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentarians’ Forum on Global Health (APPFGH).

President of the APPFGH Keizo Takemi, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr. Takeshi Kasai and speakers and parliamentarians of over 20 nations attended the video conference. Attendees of the meeting talked over role and participation of the parliament in overcoming this hardship with minimum risks and alongside sharing practices and views on necessary laws and resolutions being adopted by parliaments.

Noting that online web conferencing is the most appropriate alternative during these exceptional times of the COVID-19 pandemic and the significance of close cooperation among international parliamentarians and regularizing virtual meetings and discussions in this time of social distancing guidelines imposed by countries across the world, Speaker G.Zandanshatar introduced about the current situation in Mongolia and ongoing measures.

“As geographically located close to the original epicenter of the pandemic, the country has already imposed partial border restrictions in late January, limiting the movements of passengers across border. With a total of 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19 /as of April 23/, all of them are imported from abroad, eight recoveries and no death, there are currently 26 people infected with the virus are undergoing treatment in Mongolia. Therefore, we are focusing on prevention from the transmission of the disease and detection at early stage.” said Speaker Zandanshatar.

He continued “The spring session of the Parliament is being held online and some amendments were made in the Law on the Procedure of the Plenary Session of the State Great Khural of Mongolia. The Parliament has also approved or is discussing several laws and resolutions, such as a resolution on a package of measures to protect the health and income of people, preserve employment and stimulate the economy as well as a bill on ensuring financial and economic sustainability amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a bill on pandemic and a bill on introducing public online services.”

“Moreover, precautionary measures are being taken, such as allowing women with children up to 12 years old to work from home, encouraging to use hand sanitizers regularly, checking body temperatures of the staffs at the entrance gate of work places, providing advice on the prevention and recognizing its symptoms and having people to fill out health questionnaires"

Speaker G.Zandanshatar also remarked that WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has sent a suggestion to organize the VI Asia Pacific Parliamentarians Forum on Global Health in Mongolia in August this year. “We are going to host this important event that will give a wide range of opportunities to regional countries to exchange views and mutually share experiences in this time of global public health emergency. Even though we are unable to predict how far the pandemic would spread, we are ensuring preparations to host the forum."

At the meeting, parliamentarians of the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Fiji briefed about their countries’ situations and measures in place and Director of Division of Health Systems and Services of the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific Mr. Martin Taylor provided information on assistance and guidance being given by the WHO to world countries.