The cooperation programme, to be implemented together with the Government of Mongolia and other partners, will seek to generate evidence, improve policy and institutional capacity as well as to take action on the ground to reduce exposure to air pollution and strengthen health services for vulnerable children and pregnant women. This will build on UNICEF’s ongoing collaboration with SDC in this field.
Ulaanbaatar – home to half of Mongolia’s three million population - is one of the most polluted capitals in the world during the winter months. Children are the most vulnerable to the adverse health effects of air pollution from the day they are conceived. In the last 10 years, incidences of respiratory diseases in Ulaanbaatar have alarmingly increased including a 2.7-fold increase in respiratory infections per 10,000 population. Children living in a highly polluted district of central Ulaanbaatar were found to have 40% lower lung function than children living in a rural area. Evidence suggests that breathing in particulate air pollution (PM2.5) can damage brain tissue and undermine cognitive development in babies and young children – leading to lifelong implications and setbacks.
The cooperation programme, to be implemented between 2018-2021, aims to reduce the prevalence of pneumonia amongst children under 5 and reduce the incidence of air pollution related pregnancy risks.
“The enormous toll of disease and death revealed by these data by the World Health Organization should result in an urgent call to action for the global community – and especially for those in the environment and health sectors. Good governance principles should be applied to those priority sectors for the effectiveness and efficiency of the interventions needed. SDC and UNICEF, together with our partners, will continue to support efforts to mitigate and reverse air pollution effects, aiming at acceptable air quality for all children and adults in urban Mongolia throughout the year, and enhancing capacities within the health system to properly diagnose and treat children and adults with air pollution related health conditions” highlighted Mrs. Gabriella Spirli, General Consul and Head of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
“The Government of Mongolia and the development partners are largely investing in long term and sustainable solutions, but this will take time. Meanwhile, we need to take urgent action to protect children and pregnant women from the negative impacts of air pollution. That is why this cooperation programme will focus on reducing exposure and strengthening health care for children and pregnant women” said Mr Alex Heikens, Representative, UNICEF Mongolia.
