Improving Social Protection Services for Tuberculosis Patients

A training on “Strengthening Tuberculosis Response and Enhancing Social Welfare Services” was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the National Centre for Communicable Diseases. The training aimed to improve the capacity to implement policies and guidelines that ensure tuberculosis (TB) patients and their families receive appropriate social welfare services.

Experts note that if all eligible individuals are included in social protection programs, TB incidence could decrease by 9 percent annually.

International research has concluded that when an adult member of a household contracts TB, it increases both the health risks for children and the financial burden on the family.

According to the World Health Organization, Mongolia is among the countries in the Western Pacific region with a high TB burden. Therefore, expanding and improving social welfare and protection services for target groups affected by TB will contribute significantly to reducing the incidence of the disease.

The training brought together social welfare specialists responsible for disability affairs from the Labour and Social Welfare Offices of all 21 provinces and 9 districts, as well as members of medical assessment councils.