The Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia S.Byambatsogt received Dr. Saia Ma'u Piukala, Regional Director for the Western Pacific of the World Health Organization (WHO), on June 16, 2026.

At the outset of the meeting, Chairman S.Byambatsogt welcomed Dr. Saia Ma'u Piukala on his return visit to Mongolia and wished him a pleasant stay in the country. He expressed appreciation for the longstanding cooperation between Mongolia and the WHO, noting its tangible contributions to the development of health policy, the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, the strengthening of primary health care services, and the enhancement of public health capacity.

The Chairman noted with satisfaction that, following the open hearing conducted by the State Great Hural in 2024 on issues related to the accessibility, pricing, and quality of medicines, the National Reference Laboratory for Medicines and Medical Devices had been established with the support of the WHO and was officially inaugurated today.

Dr. Saia Ma'u Piukala expressed his gratitude to Chairman S. Byambatsogt for taking the time to receive him and hold discussions.

During the meeting, the parties discussed legal reforms in Mongolia’s health sector and measures to further improve the policy and regulatory framework. Particular attention was given to the issue of sustainable health-sector financing, including ways to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of funding and to support policies focused on disease prevention. Chairman S.Byambatsogt emphasized Mongolia’s interest in continuing to draw upon international best practices and technical recommendations in the implementation and ongoing reform of the Law on Health, the Law on Health Insurance, the Law on Hospital Care and Services, and other sector-specific legal instruments.

Chairman S.Byambatsogt further noted that global challenges such as climate change, air pollution, food safety, and the spread of infectious diseases are having multifaceted impacts on public health and pose significant challenges to health systems. He stressed the growing need to address these issues through regional dialogue and cooperation.

In this context, he introduced Mongolia’s initiative to organize an international discussion within the framework of inter-parliamentary cooperation among Asian countries on the relationship between climate change and health. The parties exchanged views on opportunities for WHO support through policy advice, research, and technical recommendations.

The parties also highlighted the importance of ensuring the participation of a parliamentary delegation from Mongolia in the Ninth Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Forum on Global Health, to be held in the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2026.

Dr. Saia Ma'u Piukala commended the State Great Hural and the Government of Mongolia for defining a clear vision aimed at protecting public health, preventing disease, and promoting a healthier society, as well as for their ongoing consideration of key health-sector legislation. He noted the significant progress achieved in Mongolia’s health sector and reaffirmed the WHO’s readiness to provide the support necessary for the adoption of practical and effective legislation tailored to Mongolia’s needs.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing their commitment to further expanding cooperation between Mongolia and the WHO beyond the health sector to include human development, sustainable development, social protection, climate change, and regional cooperation.