Health
All children have the right to survive and thrive.
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The challenges
Critical child issues with persisting disparities include Under 5 mortality rate, which in the Western region is now almost four times higher than in Ulaanbaatar and is almost four times higher for children in the poorest quintile compared to children in the wealthiest quintile. Only 31 per cent of pregnant women in the Western regions receive correct quality antenatal care compared to 84 per cent in Ulaanbaatar.
Challenges in child survival and development are related to uneven access to services and limited availability of essential medicines and supplies, relatively weak equity focus in legislation, policies and budget allocation, as well as persistence of negative behavioural practices among public.
The solutions
UNICEF will support the Government to increase access to quality and inclusive health-care services through strengthening its policies, programmes and services, institutional capacity and resourcing. Followings are some priority areas of interventions:
- Enhance pandemic preparedness through digital transformation, new vaccines introduction, medicines procurement, and diversification of primary care services using evidence-based and advocacy activities
- Improve the food environment by taxing sugary drinks, restricting child-targeted food advertising, promoting youth participation, implementing breastfeeding promotion in health facilities, and providing technical assistance to prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
- Train primary health care providers to monitor young children’s oral hygiene and development indicators using the Maternal and Child Health Book, provide support, promote parent participation through information communication, and integrate early childhood development support into the curriculum.
