AKIPRESS.COM - President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga on June 24 received delegates of the World Health Organization (WHO), including Dr. Takeshi Kasai, Regional Director for the Western Pacific, and Dr. Sergey Diorditsa, Country Representative for Mongolia, Montsame reports.

At the beginning of the meeting, President Battulga expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation between Mongolia and the WHO and wished Dr. Takeshi Kasai success on his new position.

President Battulga informed Dr. Takeshi Kasai, who is visiting Mongolia for the first time, of the general situation surrounding the most common diseases affecting the population and the underlying causes that are considered essential to find reflection in the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy for Mongolia in the next five years.

In particular, President Battulga spoke about the increasing incidences of contagious diseases, suicide, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and dental problems, while naming the underlying causes, including high levels of air pollution, poor food safety and lack of prevention measures. For instance, the President requested the WHO to pay close attention to the challenges of air pollution, which is caused by unemployment, poverty and cancer, that is linked to low standards in food quality and safety, and to place emphasis on these issues in its report along with relevant study and analysis, given the lack of policy approach to these challenges by the Cabinet and the Parliament.

Moreover, President Battulga instructed Minister of Health Davaajantsan Sarangerel, who was present at the meeting, to focus on these issues and encouraged the WHO delegates to work closely with Mongolia through the Ministry of Health.