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November 2014
Greetings!

Happy beginning of the Holiday Season!

We are very excited to announce the start of our newest project. In July, FIRE began working as the in-country partner with the Canadian Society of International Health (CSIH) on a three-year Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project to upgrade the health safety of the entire health sector of Mongolia.

This is a fantastic opportunity for FIRE to expand its reach and achieve maximum impact with the skills and focus we have finely honed over the last 5 years.

Please read below for more information. As always, thank you for your time and support! 

All the best,
Meredith Potts
Executive Director
Fifth Health Sector Development Project (FiHSDP)
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In July 2014, FIRE began working with the Mongolian Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Canadian Society of International Health (CSIH) on a three-year, Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project to improve the safety of health care facilities across Mongolia. This is the second phase of the larger ADB Fifth Health Sector Development Project (FiHSDP).

This project has significant environmental, health, and safety benefits, and will improve patient and health care worker safety.

The project will improve patient and health worker safety in hospitals in Mongolia by:
  • improving the safety of blood transfusions,
  • strengthening medical waste management, and
  • preventing and controlling hospital acquired infection
These improvements will be made by making capacity building activities available to health care workers, providing upgraded equipment to hospitals, and developing precise technical guidelines for infection prevention and control. The advancements established through this project will ensure that educational resources, medical equipment, and waste management procedures meet internationally accepted standards.
Issues the FiHSDP Project Is Addressing
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Currently, hospitals in Mongolia do not have the resources necessary to implement reforms for improving patient and health care worker safety and quality of care. Patient and health care worker safety is being compromised mainly due to improper blood transfusion and waste management practices. Some factors contributing to these unsafe practices include: 

  • inadequate facilities,
  • inadequate equipment and testing materials,
  • inadequate health care worker knowledge about proper waste management procedures, 
  • lack of confidentiality,poor registration and reporting of adverse reactions,
  • lack of readiness for emergencies, and
  • lack of measures to reduce inappropriate blood transfusions which can result in unintentional transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C.
Solutions the FiHSDP Project Is Implementing
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The Asian Development Bank project addresses three aspects of health care safety, including blood transfusions, medical waste management, and hospital-acquired infection prevention and control. Through this plan, the following actions will be taken to improve safety in health care facilities:

  • An internationally accredited transfusiology center will be established in Ulaanbaatar.
  • Waste management facilities and systems will be upgraded to meet national and international standards.
  • Microbiology laboratories in hospitals will be upgraded to meet national standards.
  • Capacity building activities will be implemented for health care workers to increase their knowledge of safe blood transfusion practices and infection control procedures.
Meet the FIRE Team
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FIRE is honored to have Dr. Munkhjargal Ayurzana (Jagaa) at the helm of the office in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In December she will celebrate 4 years with FIRE. Her steadfastness, vision, and leadership are invaluable to FIRE's momentum. She is a force of diligence and focus. In addition to her full-time position with FIRE, she is also the Secretary and President-elect for the Ulaanbaatar Rotary Club and a very involved daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. FIRE is very grateful to have Jagaa help guide us as we strive to make the most long lasting and impactful changes possible in Mongolia.
Issue: 10
In This Issue
FiHSDP
Issues Addressed
Solutions
Meet the FIRE Team
Join Our Mailing List
Summer 2014 Photo Gallery
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To view more photos of our summer activites in Mongolia please go here.

Donations
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We need your help to continue our hard work and making a difference. FIRE exists because of the generous support of donors like you.  

 You can donate here.

   

Checks may also be mailed to FIRE / PO Box 22187  / Flagstaff, AZ / 86002.


FIRE - Flagstaff International Relief Effort / info@fireprojects.org / 928-779-2288