Introduction
Mongolia has an elevated risk and burden of zoonotic diseases which pose a health threat to the population and can have catastrophic effects on families’ livelihoods. Local Mongolia Red Cross Society volunteers, linked with farmers, can be trained to prevent, detect and report to veterinary officials for response.
Context & Aim
The programme set out to establish community-based surveillance (CBS) in partnership with the Government Centre for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD) for greater public engagement in local surveillance and disease control.
Results
Community volunteers are now capable of detecting outbreak diseases and sending simple SMS codes which notify Provincial zoonotic disease officers. They are raising awareness and mobilising communities for behaviour change.
As the Mongolia Red Cross CBS volunteers are trained in control of infectious diseases the have been invaluable supporting the Dzud response – an extreme weather event with sustained freezing temperatures below -47°C which claimed the lives of more than 1.2 million livestock in the three program locations. 180 volunteers have been mobilised for safe disposal of animal carcasses, surveillance, distribution of relief items and psychosocial support for more than 1200 households.
Since March 2024, volunteers have maintained 74% average weekly reporting demonstrating that they remain actively engaged in program activities in their communities.
View the poster for more information.