Politics
Parliament Takes Up Final Review of 2026 Budget Amendment
Published: 2026-10-09
The State Great Khural convened its regular autumn plenary session on October 9, with the 2026 budget amendment among its scheduled agenda items. Lawmakers are set to hold final consideration of amendments related to fiscal stability and accompanying laws and resolutions tied to the budget revision. The agenda also includes third-reading amendments to the 2026 budget framework statement and the 2027-2028 fiscal projections, along with fourth-reading changes to the 2026 state budget, National Wealth Fund budget, Social Insurance Fund budget and Health Insurance Fund budget. Parliament is also considering whether to proceed with the government’s Family Development Support bill, submitted June 11, and amendments to the Civil Procedure Law.
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Published: 2026-10-09
Parliament began discussing government-proposed amendments to the Civil Procedure Law on October 9 that would revise the operation of district-level simplified criminal and civil courts. The proposal would establish a fixed monetary threshold for cases handled under the special procedure, covering claims valued at no less than MNT 15.84 million. By February, the first-instance district court for simplified criminal and civil cases had received 8,412 new claims and resolved 3,376 cases. Lawmakers were told that an increase in the minimum wage had raised the average caseload per judge 2.5 times to 1,456 cases and claims, or 4.3 times the Judicial General Council’s standard workload. The bill also proposes electronic notices through the national digital mail system and would require unified borrower verification for loan disputes.
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Published: 2026-10-09
Former Ulaanbaatar Mayor Khishgee Nyambaatar was formally charged on September 25 in an investigation into alleged abuse of official power, the Anti-Corruption Agency confirmed on October 9. Commissioner B. Bilegt, the agency’s media and public-relations officer, said the case concerns Article 22.1.3 of the Criminal Code. A joint task force involving the General Intelligence Agency, the Anti-Corruption Agency and the National Police Agency was formed by order of the Prosecutor General and is examining projects and programs implemented by the capital city. Bilegt said investigators cannot release the charging order or further case details while the inquiry continues. Under criminal procedure rules, access to case files is limited to defendants, victims, other participants and their legal representatives after the investigation is completed.
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City Council Considers Road-Fee Credits for Plate-Restriction Days
Published: 2026-10-09
Ulaanbaatar’s mayoral council discussed a proposal to credit drivers for road-use fees on days when their vehicles cannot travel under even-odd license-plate restrictions. Under the proposal, drivers whose vehicles were restricted for 14 days in 2026 could have the corresponding amount deducted from their 2027 road-use fee. The measure would amend a 2024 Citizens’ Representatives Khural resolution setting road-use charges. The council also considered cutting the municipal tax on restaurants, hotels, resorts, car washes and vehicle-service businesses from 2 percent to 1 percent, while retaining the 2 percent rate on tobacco, alcohol and tobacco-related products. Mayor B. Purevdavaa said the proposed business relief responds to inflation and price increases linked to fuel shortages. The proposals were discussed at the council meeting.
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Government Plans Legal Changes, Calls for Herder Responsibility
Published: 2026-10-09
Deputy Prime Minister N. Nomtoibayar said the government is preparing amendments to several laws. Speaking after a regular meeting of the State Emergency Commission, he said livestock should be counted not simply for statistics but to inform agricultural economic policy. He also said wildlife would be counted and relevant legislation reviewed. Nomtoibayar said the government would not routinely use contingency funds to resolve problems caused by herders’ lack of responsibility for their animals. Under instructions from the prime minister, he has begun work on animal-health measures. He reported that 54.3 percent of equipment at the Biocombinat cannot be used, while the facility produces 46 types of vaccines. Funding of MNT 1.5 billion has been resolved for needed work.
“Livestock are the property of the herder, and herders must be responsible.” - N. Nomtoibayar (ikon.mn)
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Parliament Debates Family Support Bill Covering Benefits, Housing and Holiday Leave
Published: 2026-10-09
Parliament is discussing whether to consider a proposed Family Development Support Law that would consolidate existing cash-support provisions for children, mothers and families. The bill would prioritize young families with children and families with three or more children for first-home mortgages or rental housing, and allow mortgage down-payment guarantees of up to 60 percent under the Credit Guarantee Fund law. It proposes shortening workdays by up to two hours, without reducing pay, for one parent or guardian of a child in preschool or primary school. Employers could voluntarily provide family-oriented discounts or assistance. The proposal would shift Naadam and Lunar New Year public holidays to the next working day when they fall on weekends. It would also provide monthly child payments until age 18 and include support for pregnancy, childcare, twins and mothers awarded the Mother Hero medal.
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Published: 2026-10-09
Parliament approved the membership of its Special Oversight Subcommittee on Law Enforcement Activities on October 8. The panel will include MPs O. Altangerel, B. Bayarbaatar, L. Soronzonbold, Kh. Temuujin and D. Tsogtbaatar, all lawyers by training. Its mandate is to oversee whether law-enforcement bodies perform their duties within the law. The subcommittee was created under legislation passed a year earlier, although implementation had been delayed. Its work is expected to examine allegations involving the General Executive Agency of Court Decisions, including claims that it conducted unlawful surveillance and wiretapping. The panel may also review allegations of organized involvement by political, business and law-enforcement figures in crimes including narcotics cases and illegal gold mining. The allegations have not been established by the subcommittee.
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Foot-and-Mouth Vaccine Procurement Case Remains Unresolved
Published: 2026-10-09
A criminal case involving former General Authority for Veterinary Services director D. Tumendemberel and Veterinary Institute researcher Z. Batsukh remains unresolved after a district court returned it for additional investigation. The Capital City Prosecutor’s Office transferred the case to court in June, and anti-corruption investigators have reportedly completed the court-ordered work and returned the file to prosecutors. Prosecutors allege that the two men directly contracted India’s Heister Biosciences Limited without a tender to buy 16 million doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine between 2018 and 2020. The source states separately that the contract price was 0.093 cents per dose and that the alleged loss was about USD 778,000, or more than MNT 2.078 billion. Tumendemberel also faces allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering linked to a MNT 291 million apartment purchased in his daughter’s name.
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MPP Moves to Schedule Meeting That Could Decide Ulaanbaatar Party Leadership
Published: 2026-10-09
The Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) Steering Committee has instructed the party’s Ulaanbaatar branch presidium to meet and agree by October 16 on a date for its Small Khural, a body that can elect the branch chair. The process could reopen the position held by Kh. Nyambaatar, who became chair on May 18, 2024 and retained the party role after leaving the Ulaanbaatar governor’s post in May 2026. B. Purevdavga now leads the city administration, separating municipal executive authority from leadership of the capital’s MPP organization. Under party rules, Nyambaatar, as branch chair, is responsible for convening the presidium meeting that would set the Small Khural’s date. The capital MPP committee has 279 members, while the Small Khural will decide any leadership change.
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DP Alleges Government Spent Funds Before Parliamentary Approval
Published: 2026-10-09
The DP (Democratic Party) criticized proposed budget revisions on October 9, alleging that government ministries had begun allocating and spending funds removed or not approved by parliament. DP Secretary G. Lkhagvadorj said the draft 2027 budget includes MNT 7.4 billion for New Kharkhorum, a planned city that has not been established. MP S. Tsenguun said the revisions added spending for unspecified subsidies, overseas travel and office supplies despite the prime minister’s request to revise the budget without increasing current expenditure. He said opposition amendments identified MNT 23 billion in savings from MNT 1 trillion in inefficient spending, but ministers had already allocated the contested funds. DP parliamentary group deputy leader Kh. Temuujin said parliament has exclusive authority to approve the budget and alleged spending outside approved purposes constituted a criminal offense.
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Economy
AI-92 gasoline price expected to rise by MNT 540 per liter on October 10
Published: 2026-10-09
Retail AI-92 gasoline prices are expected to rise by MNT 540 per liter from October 10, according to reports published October 9. The proposed increase is linked to global conditions, higher international petroleum-product prices and fuel-supply difficulties. Mongolia imports most of the fuel it consumes, so changes in international market prices and conditions in supplier countries directly affect domestic prices. The report said an increase in the retail price of AI-92 automobile gasoline was being discussed from October 10. It did not give the resulting retail price or identify a formal decision approving the increase at the time of publication.
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Fuel tracker maps operating and closed stations in Ulaanbaatar’s six central districts
Published: 2026-10-09
Ulaanbaatar’s Fuel Emergency Headquarters published a consolidated October 9 list showing whether listed service stations in the capital’s six central districts were dispensing fuel, facing heavy demand or not dispensing fuel. The update covered stations operated by Shunkhlai, Petrovis, Sod Mongol, Tes, Magnai Trade, Gor Gas, M-Oil and others. Several outlets were operating with high demand, including MonSul in Bayanzurkh and Petrovis west of Peace Bridge in Sukhbaatar, while many others in Bayanzurkh, Bayangol, Khan-Uul, Chingeltei and Songinokhairkhan were listed as not dispensing fuel. The list provides location-specific station status rather than a citywide fuel-stock total.
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September inflation reaches 12.9% as food and fuel costs climb
Published: 2026-10-09
Consumer prices in Mongolia were 12.9% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier and 0.6% higher than in August, according to reports citing the latest statistics. Food prices rose 20.8% year on year, while meat and meat products increased 46.9%; beef rose 48.4%, and mutton and goat meat 58.5%. Food, beverages and water accounted for 5.6 percentage points of annual inflation. Transport prices also added pressure as the average AI-92 gasoline price reached MNT 3,040 per liter, up MNT 82 from August and 17.4% from a year earlier. Ulaanbaatar’s annual inflation rate was 11.9%, below the national figure. The capital’s average boneless beef price was MNT 35,023 per kilogram, still 43.7% higher year on year despite a monthly decline.
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S&P Keeps Sovereign Rating at BB- With Stable Outlook
Published: 2026-10-09
S&P Global Ratings kept the country’s 2026 sovereign credit rating at BB- with a stable outlook on October 8. The agency cited expanding second-phase copper production at Oyu Tolgoi, continued coal exports to China and mining-led growth as key supports. It expects net external debt relative to current-account receipts to fall to 58 percent in 2026 from 184 percent in 2020. S&P assessed government net debt at 29 percent of GDP in 2025 and expects it to approach 25 percent over the medium term. Fitch maintained a B+ stable rating on August 19, while Moody’s kept its B1 stable rating on October 5. Prime Minister Uchral described the assessments as confirmation that the country’s chosen path is right.
“This is global confidence confirming that the path we have chosen is right.” - Uchral (isee.mn)
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Fuel Imports Rise by an Average of 9% in First Nine Months
Published: 2026-10-09
Customs data show Mongolia imported 670,100 tonnes of AI-92 gasoline worth USD 515.9 million during the first nine months of 2026, a 9.6% increase in volume from the same period of 2025. Diesel imports reached 1.46 million tonnes, while AI-95 gasoline imports totaled 14,800 tonnes worth USD 11.6 million. Imports of the three main petroleum products increased by an average of 9% year on year, with individual increases ranging from 7.5% to 11.7%. Fuel purchases accounted for 22.6% of Mongolia’s USD 9.7 billion in imports from January through September. Customs also reported that passenger and freight vehicle imports have declined for three consecutive years, while fuel imports have continued to grow.
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Heated-Tobacco Imports Reach 9.8m in Nine Months
Published: 2026-10-09
Mongolia imported 2.9 billion cigarettes, 5.49 million electronic cigarettes and 9.8 million heated-tobacco products during the first nine months of 2026, according to General Customs Administration data. Total tobacco and tobacco-product imports were valued at USD 81.9 million, or about MNT 295 billion; the source table lists USD 65.5 million for the same period in 2025. Cigarette imports increased 2.4% year on year, while e-cigarette imports rose 51.8% and their value exceeded USD 16 million. Heated-tobacco imports rose from 55,200 units in the first nine months of 2025 to 9.8 million units this year. Parliament discussed final revisions to the Tobacco Control Law on July 2 but did not pass them; the bill is expected to return during the autumn session.
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Infrastructure
Authorities order faster delivery of 134 fuel wagons from Russia
Published: 2026-10-09
At an October 9 meeting at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Fuel Emergency Headquarters told relevant organizations to speed the rail transport and receipt of 134 fuel wagons supplied from Russia. The headquarters, to be led by newly appointed Deputy Minister B. Munkhtamir, also ordered intensified supply and distribution in Ulaanbaatar and the provinces. Officials were directed to determine why some stations had temporarily stopped operating, with the Anti-Monopoly Agency assigned to take action based on the findings. To reduce congestion caused by long queues at stations on major central roads, agencies will coordinate station hours and faster distribution. The headquarters will also examine a real-time digital system showing which stations are dispensing fuel and their stock levels.
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Engels Street Lanes to Close October 10-11 for Repairs
Published: 2026-10-09
Authorities will impose lane-by-lane closures on Engels Street in Ulaanbaatar this weekend for partial repairs and upgrading work. The eastbound side will close from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, followed by the westbound side during the same hours on Sunday, October 11. The affected section lies around the southern side of Narnii Bridge and the Mechanical Engineering School intersection, covering areas of Khoroo 3 in Khan-Uul District and Khoroo 26 in Bayangol District. The Capital City Road Development Agency has advised drivers to account for the closures and use alternative routes. Work is scheduled only for the specified daytime periods, with traffic restrictions changing direction between the two days.
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Construction Finishes on 127.1-Kilometer Bagakhangai-Emelt Railway
Published: 2026-10-09
Construction and installation work has been completed on the 127.1-kilometer Bagakhangai-Khushig Valley-Emelt, or Tolgoit, railway, according to Mongolian Railway state-owned company. Chief Executive O. Batchuluun inspected organizational readiness for the opening and the first train is planned to run on the new line. The Class III railway is designed for both freight and passenger transport. Its total route length is 127.1 kilometers, with an expanded track length of 167.4 kilometers. The project involved 33 million cubic meters of earthworks and nine reinforced-concrete bridge structures totaling 1,279.1 meters. It also includes 127 reinforced-concrete culverts intended to carry water and allow people and vehicles to cross the railway corridor.
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New Fuel Depot Adds 13 Days of AI-92 Supply Capacity for Ulaanbaatar
Published: 2026-10-09
Sun Petroleum has completed and put into operation a 16,000-cubic-meter fuel storage depot that can hold 16 million liters of fuel, equal to about 13 days of Ulaanbaatar’s AI-92 gasoline consumption. Construction began in August 2025 with an initial 8,000-cubic-meter facility; the company doubled capacity during 2026 with government support and completed the main construction work in August. Deputy Director E. Enkhtsetseg said the company currently holds about 25 days of gasoline and 30 days of diesel reserves for its own filling stations. The facility can also store two to three months of the company’s sales and station demand. The project received interest-rate support, which the company said helped finance an investment-intensive, long-term storage project.
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City Urges Reports of Damaged Storm-Drain Covers
Published: 2026-10-09
Ulaanbaatar’s Geodesy and Waterworks Authority has asked residents to report damaged storm-drain inlet covers on streets, squares and roads by calling 7720-0200. The city has more than 4,000 inlet wells connected to road drainage. These structures collect rainwater, floodwater and snowmelt and transfer it into drainage networks. The authority is responsible for repairing damaged covers and carrying out planned removal of silt and waste from flood-control embankments, channels and drainage facilities. For 2026, the municipal Road Fund has approved MNT 1 billion for maintenance and repairs of road drainage pipes and wells. The authority asked the public to notify it when inlet covers are damaged.
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Cable-Car System Uses Wind Sensors During Operational Trials
Published: 2026-10-09
Operational trials are under way for Ulaanbaatar’s cable-car transport system between Yarmag and Kharkhorin market. M. Gersenz, an engineer at the Integrated Project Management Office, said the main system is designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 21 meters per second. Wind-speed and direction sensors have been installed on three of the line’s 19 support towers. When wind reaches 16 meters per second, the dispatch room receives an alert and operators will reduce the system’s speed from 6 meters per second to 1.5-2 meters per second so passengers can disembark safely at the two stations. City officials have said the 11-minute service is planned to begin on December 15, with fares estimated at MNT 1,500-2,000.
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Society
Education Minister Bars Group Outings by Schools and Kindergartens Over Bear Risk
Published: 2026-10-09
Education Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan has barred kindergartens and schools from organizing group autumn trips as brown-bear activity nears residential areas. More than 240 approaches to settlements were recorded in 12 provinces over the past month, according to the minister. Risk conditions have been identified in Bulgan, Khentii, Selenge, Khuvsgul, Dornod, Uvs, Arkhangai, Darkhan-Uul, Zavkhan and Tuv provinces. Authorities in the listed areas have been instructed to maintain round-the-clock reporting lines and rapid-response teams. Schools and kindergartens were also advised not to let children travel alone in forest or mountain areas, particularly avoiding outdoor walks in places where bears have been observed.
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Firefighters Tackle Blaze at Building East of Olympic Bridge
Published: 2026-10-09
More than 40 emergency personnel were deployed after a fire was reported at a building east of Olympic Bridge in Sukhbaatar District’s Khoroo 1 at 10:48 p.m. on October 9. The General Authority for Emergency Management said crews from four fire and rescue units in the capital responded with more than 10 pieces of equipment. On arrival, responders found that insulation on the roof section of a building under construction was burning. Firefighting operations were continuing when the authority issued its update. The report did not state the cause of the fire, whether anyone had been injured, or the extent of damage. Authorities had not announced when the operation would conclude.
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Police Investigate Alleged USD 250,000 Investment Scam
Published: 2026-10-09
Police are investigating a complaint that a Mongolian citizen identified as T transferred about USD 250,000, roughly MNT 900 million, to two foreign nationals after meeting them on September 18 to arrange investment financing. Authorities said the individuals allegedly represented themselves as United Nations employees and promised large US-dollar investment funds. Police also said they stopped foreign individuals allegedly attempting to leave the country on September 6. The September 18 complaint remains under investigation. Police advised the public to verify investment and financing offers through official sources and avoid transferring money or property to unverified individuals in such situations.
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Disability Rights Protesters Demand Labor Minister’s Resignation
Published: 2026-10-09
Representatives of people with disabilities held a peaceful protest at Sukhbaatar Square on October 9, calling on Prime Minister N. Uchral to dismiss Family, Labour and Social Protection Minister T. Aubakir. Protesters said Aubakir had opposed legislation to raise pensions and benefits for people with disabilities, arguing that the ministry was failing to implement social-protection rules. Member of Parliament J. Bayasgalan said he had relayed the protesters’ concerns to the prime minister and that Uchral said he would receive them. Bayasgalan said 110,000 people with disabilities should not be neglected and cited a MNT 652,000 pension received by some people.
“We must stand for one another.” - N. Uchral (ikon.mn)
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Environment
Government orders bear-response measures after fatal Ulaanbaatar attack
Published: 2026-10-09
Government and emergency officials ordered accelerated measures to protect residents after brown bears entered settled areas, including a fatal attack at Uliastai Valley in Ulaanbaatar’s Bayanzurkh District. Officials reported 557 bear-related incidents involving settled areas; sources said nine bears had either been killed or made safe. A government resolution authorizes preventive action and permits bear hunting in specifically designated zones under the Animal, Border Protection and Criminal laws. Authorities warned that hunting outside those locations or for other purposes will be prosecuted. Officials said they had received reports that hunting permits were being resold. Teams of police, soldiers, rangers and professional hunters will be deployed at high-risk sites, while agencies were ordered to arrange capture, transport and release where appropriate. The government allocated MNT 1 billion for tranquilizer equipment and related supplies.
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Suspected bear in fatal Ulaanbaatar attack found; forensic tests underway
Published: 2026-10-09
A brown bear attacked a ger in the Burkhant area of Ulaanbaatar’s Bayanzurkh District, 35th khoroo, around 1 a.m. on October 8, killing a 40-year-old man and seriously injuring a 55-year-old woman. The woman escaped to a neighboring household and received emergency treatment. The National Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics later said her condition had stabilized after surgery and that treatment continued. A joint team led by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change searched the area in six groups, using traps and a heat-sensing drone. Officials reported finding and neutralizing a roughly six-year-old male bear near the scene at 22:15. Samples were sent for forensic testing to determine conclusively whether it was the bear responsible for the attack.
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Bayan-Ulgii Restricts Goat Movements for 30 Days
Published: 2026-10-09
Bayan-Ulgii Province has restricted the movement of goats and bucks into the province for 30 days from October 7, seeking to prevent the spread of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia. The provincial emergency commission adopted the measure after cases were confirmed in Tsogt and Delger soums of Govi-Altai Province and Altanbulag soum of Tuv Province. The restriction covers animals brought in for seasonal grazing, trade, breeding and other purposes, including movements from other provinces and localities. Authorities were instructed to deliver timely, accessible prevention guidance and alerts to herders. Herders who see signs of a suspected highly contagious livestock disease should promptly notify their local veterinary service and follow professional instructions, rather than treating or moving animals themselves.
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Bogd Khan Mountain Visitors Urged to Limit Outdoor Activities After Bear Sightings
Published: 2026-10-09
The Bogd Khan Mountain Strictly Protected Area Administration has urged residents to limit hiking and outdoor recreation around the mountain after reports of bears near Ulaanbaatar’s summer-camp areas. Authorities have recorded 24 bear-sighting calls or reports in the city so far in 2026, including sightings and tracks near the protected area. The administration said these reports indicate a growing public-safety risk. It advised people not to enter forest or mountain areas alone and prohibited approaching, photographing, feeding or provoking bears. Visitors should not approach cubs and should leave immediately and report any tracks, scat or fur. Anyone encountering a bear should stay calm, avoid approaching or pursuing it, and move away while maintaining a safe distance.
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Snow Forecast for Western and Central Areas; Strong Winds Expected in the Altai and Arts Bogd
Published: 2026-10-09
Wet snow, snow and blizzard conditions are forecast in western provinces from October 9, expanding into northwestern and central areas on October 10 and parts of central Mongolia on October 11. Wet snow, snow and light blizzards are forecast in eastern areas on October 12, with cooler temperatures expected across much of the country. Snow is expected in parts of Bayan-Olgii, Uvs and western Khovd on October 9, while the Mongolian Altai mountains may see blizzards. Winds in the Altai mountains and the southern slopes of Arts Bogd may reach 15-17 meters per second, with gusts up to 20 meters per second and dust storms. Ulaanbaatar is forecast to remain dry, with daytime temperatures of 12-14C.
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Border Officials Receive Prison Terms Over Illegal Exploration in Protected Area
Published: 2026-10-09
A court sentenced two former Border Protection officials for enabling unauthorized mineral exploration in the Small Gobi Strictly Protected Area. Former unit commander Ya.T received 18 months in prison and former training deputy M.Ts received one year; both were barred from public office for three years. The case concerns instructions issued on August 18, 2022, allowing B.D., D.A. and T.G. to enter the protected area in Khatanbulag soum, Dornogovi province, without inspection. The three were convicted of illegal exploration and mining without a license. B.D. was fined MNT 10 million. News.mn reported D.A. and T.G. were each fined MNT 5.4 million. The court ordered MNT 2.7 million in environmental-damage payments and MNT 314,000 in restoration costs, and ordered the MNT 257 million vehicle value recovered proportionally for state revenue.
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City Reassesses Gas Heating as Air Pollution Rises
Published: 2026-10-09
Air-quality readings in Ulaanbaatar have worsened as colder weather increases household heating. IQAir ranked the city seventh among the world’s most polluted cities at 10 p.m. on October 7, with an air-quality index of 152, while the Urgakh Naran area recorded 273 and Tavan Buudal 271. The city shifted about 5,000 households in air-pollution zones to gas heating in July, but Governor B. Purevdagva said the system’s costs were too high and officials are seeking a less expensive approach. The city instead plans to test electric heat-storage units in 6,000 to 10,000 households this winter. For the 2026-2027 heating season, Tavan Tolgoi Fuel plans to supply 427,000 tonnes of fuel, including 307,000 tonnes of semi-coke and 120,000 tonnes of washed-coal briquettes.
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Officials Prepare Review of Development in Bogd Khan Mountain Reserve
Published: 2026-10-09
Ulaanbaatar officials will assess land use and construction in the restricted zone of the Bogd Khan Mountain Strictly Protected Area. The zone currently includes 2,499 land parcels covering 2,561 hectares. The review will examine whether development in the mountain valleys complies with Ulaanbaatar’s general development plan and detailed plans. Relevant officials have also been instructed to prepare a proposal to temporarily suspend the issuing of construction permits and permissions to begin construction within the restricted zone. The measure remains a proposed action rather than an approved suspension. Bogd Khan Mountain is a strictly protected area, and the review will consider land use and construction by individuals, businesses and organizations within its territory.
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Health
Emergency Preparedness Ends After Irkutsk Tests Find No Plague
Published: 2026-10-09
Deputy Prime Minister N. Nomtoibayar said the State Emergency Commission has ended its heightened preparedness regime after Russian authorities reported no evidence of plague in the Irkutsk laboratory case. Results from about 5,000 tests found two COVID-19 cases and two rhinovirus infections, with no other infectious-disease agents detected. Medical monitoring of all contacts was completed by October 7 without health changes linked to an infectious disease. Reviews also found no accident or violation in handling pathogens at the institute, he said. Mongolia will nevertheless continue measures addressing the biocombinat, food-safety laboratories, customs and inspection agencies, and their policies, operations, structure, staffing and equipment. The commission also discussed bear-related incidents, compensation, winter preparations and fires in eastern provinces.
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National Emergency Center to Integrate Ambulance Calls Nationwide
Published: 2026-10-09
Under Government Resolution No. 134, the Ulaanbaatar Emergency Care Center is being reorganized as the National Emergency Care Center and connected to a nationwide unified call system. The Prime Minister and Health Minister inspected the reform program and construction of an expansion building. Specialists say faster, more accessible ambulance services are essential because 68 percent of deaths in the country occur outside medical settings. An Asian Development Bank concessional-loan investment program is funding a three-story, MNT 7.2 billion extension, while USD 3.3 million has been approved for communications, training and ambulance equipment. The planned system will assess caller location, patient condition, clinical priority, nearby ambulance capacity and hospital workload from one platform, enabling the most appropriate decision to be made quickly.
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Nationwide School Health Screening Targets 281,895 Children
Published: 2026-10-09
The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education are conducting school- and kindergarten-based preventive screenings for 281,895 children aged three, six, 11 and 15 from October 1 through December 1. More than 23,000 children have already been screened. Assessments cover growth, general physical health and vision, with age-specific checks for developmental and autism-spectrum risks at age three; electrocardiograms and cardiac risks at age six; spinal curvature and flat feet at age 11; and mental health and puberty development at age 15. The screening does not provide final medical diagnoses. Children with identified risks or changes will be referred for further care and follow-up, while parents and guardians receive information and give informed consent before examinations.
“The aim is not to diagnose every child, but to identify risks and changes early and connect them promptly with necessary care.” - E. Batshugar, Minister of Health (ikon.mn)
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