Insight

Dec 11, 2024, 16:33

Strengthening access to oncology medicines in Mongolia

From November 26–28, 2024, the UICC-led ATOM Coalition hosted a three-day workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, aimed at improving access to quality-assured cancer medicines.

This initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this year between Mongolia’s Ministry of Health (MoH) and the ATOM Coalition.

“The invaluable support of UICC member, the National Cancer Council of Mongolia, alongside other key national stakeholders such as the Medical Devices Regulatory Agency and the Pharmaceutical Association, played a crucial role in reaching this significant milestone.” – Dan Milner, Executive Director of the ATOM Coalition

Mongolia

The workshop builds on a detailed situational analysis conducted in Mongolia, which examined critical areas such as regulatory frameworks, supply chain management, diagnostic capabilities, and clinical practices related to cancer medicines.

Local and international experts collaborated to validate the findings, address key gaps, and develop actionable strategies to enhance oncology treatment access.

Strengthening access to oncology medicines in Mongolia

Ahead of the workshop, the ATOM Coalition team met with the Minister of Health and Member of Parliament, Dr. Tsetsegsaikhan Bathmunkh, to discuss national cancer care priorities.

The event brought together various stakeholders, including:

• Dr. Dan Milner, Executive Director of the ATOM Coalition

• Representatives from the Max Foundation

• Dr. Tsetsegsaikhan Bathmunkh, Founder and CEO of the National Cancer Council of Mongolia, a UICC member

• Senior officials from the Ministry of Health, the National Cancer Center, and the State First Hospital

Tsetsegsaikhan Bathmunkh, Founder and CEO of the National Cancer Council of Mongolia, says:

“During the last week of November, members of the ATOM Coalition Secretariat met with the Ministry of Health in Mongolia to co-define early interventions to address barriers in accessing cancer medicines.

These early interventions were based on technical discussions held with members of the ATOM Coalition’s Multidisciplinary Technical Working Group in Mongolia which represents national bodies including regulators, pathologists, logisticians, pharmacists and clinicians, among others. This group met to workshop a series of critical actions to address bottlenecks in regulatory affairs, supply chain management, pathology and diagnostics and appropriate clinical use of cancer medicines in Mongolia.

The workshop and meeting with the Minister yielded immediate action items to enhance the availability and quality of cancer medicines for Mongolian cancer patients and will set an important precedent for coalition-based models for capacity strengthening in years to come. Findings and lessons learned from this experience will serve as an important proof of concept for low- and lower-middle income countries seeking to improve access to quality-assured, appropriate and affordable cancer medicines.”

Strengthening access to oncology medicines in Mongolia

The workshop will result in a comprehensive report outlining identified gaps and priority actions. This report will serve as a roadmap for coordinated national projects and capacity-building efforts led by the ATOM Coalition and its partners.

Further Reading:

Leading the Fight Against Cancer in Mongolia: An Interview with Tsetsegsaikhan Batmunkh