Mongolian Health Promotion Foundation

The Mongolian Health Promotion Foundation (MHPF) was stipulated in the Tobacco Control Law, in 2005 and approved by the State Law on Government Special Fund in 2006. The law regulates the collection, expenditure, execution, reporting, and monitoring of 23 funds in total.

Starting from 2006, the MHPF is funded by three sources of funds: two percent (2%) of excise tax on tobacco products, one percent (1%) of excise tax on alcoholic beverages, and two percent (2%) on drug registration. The foundation may also receive funding from other government budget sources, non-refundable aid, and contributions from other countries; however, it currently receives funds from the government only.

The estimated annual total budget of MNT 3 billion (USD 1.02 million) in 2019, and MNT 2.5 billion (USD 851,254) in 2020 and 2021. The fund has supported various health promotion programmes.

The MHPF is a major Government initiative to promote health and reduce exposure to health risks, including tobacco and alcohol. A Council that is responsible for the annual work programme and financial management governs the Foundation. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for monitoring and auditing the Foundation’s activities as it receives Government funding.

The Minister of Health is the Chairman of the Foundation’s Council. Other members of the Foundation Council include government and non-governmental representatives, comprising: the Director of the General Taxation Office; Director of Policy Implementation and Coordination, of the Department of the Ministry of Justice; Director of the Government Fiscal Budget, Department of the Ministry of Finance; Director of the Department of Public Health Policy Implementation and Coordination, Ministry of Health; Director of the Medical Department of Mongolian Army Force; Executive Director of the Mongolian Public Health Professionals Association (subject to approval); and the President of the Mongolian Journalists Union.

The Foundation aims to promote health and reduce exposure to health risks for all Mongolians. The key health promotion strategies are information, education, and public relations. The fund is supporting a wide range of health promotion activities including:

1. Prevention of non-communicable diseases
2. Prevention of infectious diseases
3. Protect environmental health
4. Prevent accidents and injuries, and support a healthy and safe living environment
5. Protect mental health, and prevent the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
6. Promote the rational use of drugs
7. Improving the ethics of medical professionals, and improving the transparency and accountability of health organizations.

The MHPF promotes, coordinates, and guides the implementation of health promotion activities. These activities are targeted at individuals, communities, and government policies at the national, provincial, and local levels.

The MHPF promotes, coordinates, and guides the implementation of health promotion activities

Competitive grants schemes and sponsorships are provided to increase the capacity of organizations, communities, and individuals to improve health. The grant-making programmes are open to all government institutions, non-profit organizations, and citizens. All project proposals go through rigorous screening. The fund is awarded on a competitive basis against the funding and eligibility criteria. Emphasis is given to evidence-informed interventions.

In 2021, the government has amended the “Regulation on spending and monitoring of Health Promotion Fund” with resolution No.323. The amendments include:

1. The Health Minister shall give the final approval on the working group’s recommended projects. The working group shall carry out the selection process and make recommendations, and it will consist of at least 2 representatives of NGOs, professional associations, and relevant sub-councils.
2. NGOs and legal entities shall submit their project proposals in writing within the first 20 days of each quarter (from 2 times to 4 times a year) to the ministry of health.

A total of 271 project proposals were received from citizens, non-profits organizations, and other institutions in 2021. Of these, 87 projects were selected and funded by the health promotion fund. The funded activities in 2020 and 2021 include:

A key strength of the MHPF is the strong and positive work team. The team has the advantage of working in a constructive policy environment that is underpinned by a political commitment to health sector reform. There is also a high level of commitment to controlling tobacco, alcohol, and drug misuse; maintain an effective monitoring and evaluation system.

Since the MHPF’s inception, there have been improvements in community-based health promotion activities and an annual increase in the grant for the Foundation’s work.

The Foundation faces several challenges including the lack of sustainable long-term leadership and limited resources to consolidate the infrastructure and institutionalize activities. Key concerns include building the capacity of people across sectors to implement health promotion activities and improving the coordination between partners and the number of intersectional collaborations.