In Mongolia, the leading cause of death is liver cancer. The country has one of the highest rates in the world, accounting for an estimated one in 10 deaths. Chronic hepatitis is a key risk factor in developing liver cancer.

A total of 28 public and private laboratories across the country are providing hepatitis C viral load testing under Healthy Liver Programme by Mongolian Government. Mongolia set the ambitious national goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2020.

Unfortunately, 15 laboratories have failed to meet the standards in an inspection run by the General Authority for Health Insurance (GAHI). This comes three years since free hepatitis examination began in 2017 for early detection.

The GAHI has suspended the free hepatitis examination agreement with those 15 laboratories; two private laboratories namely, IT and Itgel have been fined MNT 1.5 billion.