Asia and Oceania

Healthcare facilities in the countryside are very poor. Organising an evacuation to Ulaanbaatar or another country can be difficult and expensive without adequate travel insurance. Even in Ulaanbaatar, only basic healthcare is available. Medicines are scarce in the countryside and you should bring basic supplies, including any regular prescription drugs with you.

Due to the generally poor quality of medical facilities in Mongolia, British Embassy staff are not currently allowed to bring children to live permanently at post, though they can visit on holiday.

Mongolia has occasional outbreaks of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (a viral infection which most commonly affects children and infants) and other infectious diseases.  During these outbreaks affected areas may be quarantined and you may not be able to travel to them.  If you are in an affected area, you may not be allowed to leave. During the summer hunting season, there may be isolated cases of bubonic plague. These are usually confined to the marmot hunters (who pick up the disease from fleas when skinning their prey), but visitors should be aware of the risk.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that less than 1,000 adults aged 15 or over in Mongolia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

We recommend you seek medical advice before travelling to Mongolia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

 

For more general health information see Travel Health

 

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that there have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) among migrating birds in Mongolia, most recently in August 2005, in the northern province of Khovsgol.  No human infections or deaths have been reported.

 

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low.  As a precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

 

You should read this advice in conjunction with Avian and Pandemic Influenza, which gives more detailed advice and information.