The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has funded five projects in Darkhan-Uul and Selenge provinces, the results of which were recently reviewed. With the support and financing from ADB, a central wastewater treatment plant was built in Darkhan-Uul Province, and the road between Ulaanbaatar City and Darkhan-Uul Province was upgraded to a four-lane highway.
Additionally, cracks in the road were sealed and potholes were filled. ADB also highlighted its work on installing a device in Mongolia to measure the weight of vehicles while in motion for the first time. In Selenge Province, the issues of blood and blood product supply, safety, and medical waste management at the General Hospital were fully addressed. Furthermore, the microbiology laboratory and sterilization unit were fully equipped with modern technical equipment. Support was also provided to individuals interested in vegetable farming through non-repayable grants and assistance in forming cooperatives. In addition, a safe house for victims of domestic violence was established.
Regarding the significance and budget of the five projects implemented in Darkhan-Uul and Selenge provinces, Shannon Cowlin, ADB’s Country Director for Mongolia, stated, “ADB has provided financial support for various projects in Selenge and Darkhan-Uul provinces. The road from Ulaanbaatar to Darkhan-Uul is one such project. We have also opened a Development Center for People with Disabilities and a school with a capacity of 960 students in Darkhan-Uul. In Selenge, a safe house for victims of domestic violence was built, and investments were made in the Central Hospital. 300 million USD was allocated for seven projects, along with a 11.5 million USD grant. There is a special fund for projects financed by the Government of Japan, managed by ADB. Under this fund, non-repayable grants were used for a project to improve household livelihoods through vegetable farming cooperatives and for building a safe house for domestic violence victims”.
98% OF WASTEWATER IS BEING TREATED
Under the ADB’s concessional loan, a new central wastewater treatment plant with the capacity to treat 24,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day was put into operation last January as part of the wastewater management improvement project in Darkhan-Uul. The facility treats wastewater up to 98 percent before discharging it into the Kharaa River. The wastewater is treated in five stages according to international green standards. Currently, the province is treating 800 to 900 cubic meters of wastewater per day with the help of the new treatment plant.
Additionally, the facility plans to launch a waste sludge recycling and biogas production plant next year. According to Yu.Erdenejargal, an engineer from the Policy and Planning Department of Darkhan Water Supply, “By putting the sludge recycling and biogas production plant into operation, waste generated from the treatment plant will no longer be released into the environment, and the issue of unpleasant odors will be completely eliminated. Furthermore, we will be able to generate biogas from the sludge, which can also be used to power the treatment plant.” The old central wastewater treatment plant in Darkhan-Uul had the capacity to treat 50,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day. However, it was too large for the population of over 106,000 people and had not been fully utilized since its operation due to its excess capacity. The plant was also outdated and no longer met technical standards, as noted by engineers.
Therefore, with the support of ADB’s concessional loan, the facility has been modernized and is now fully operational. ADB representatives emphasized that public participation is essential to ensuring the long-term functionality and maintenance of the facility without damage or malfunction. This is because the wastewater processed by the facility contains a significant amount of waste. For instance, 1.5 tons of waste must be removed daily. According to T.Buyandelger, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer of Darkhan Water Supply, “With the help of the automated ‘Escada’ system, we can now control the plant from a distance of four kilometers, from our computers. Additionally, we now have three power supply sources for electrical safety and two sources for information security. This allows us to avoid the risk of discharging untreated wastewater into the environment in case of a malfunction.”
Darkhan-Uul Province Governor B.Azjargal also mentioned, “Currently, the project is 98.5 percent complete, with only the testing of the sludge treatment facilities remaining. Even if the current demand triples, the plant can operate at full capacity.” The treated water, which is purified up to 98 percent, is nearly indistinguishable from clean water, with no sediment.
MOST CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF NEGLECT, SEXUAL, AND PHYSICAL ABUSE
Another major project funded by a grant from ADB is the “Combating Domestic Violence Against Women and Children”. 4.24 million USD has been allocated for this project, with 4 million USD provided by Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, and the remaining 0.24 million USD funded by the Mongolian government in non-cash contributions. As part of this project, aimed at preventing domestic violence, five safe houses for victims have been built. 150 women who have overcome domestic violence have been provided with equipment to help sustain their livelihoods and have participated in skills training through a program to empower women economically.
One of these safe houses is located in Selenge Province, a region near the northern border, which sees a significant number of tourists from Russia. Due to alcohol and substance abuse, instances of child and domestic violence are common in this area. Therefore, a temporary safe house, located next to the provincial police station, was opened in October with seven beds and more than 10 staff members. Since the beginning of this year, 60 children and 10 adults have sought refuge there. The location and information about the safe house are confidential, ensuring that it remains the safest environment for those escaping domestic violence. Experts have stated that most of the children who receive services at the safe house have been victims of neglect, sexual abuse, and physical violence.
Previously, the Selenge safe house was a summer house with poor conditions, reliant on firewood for heating, and unable to accommodate many children at once. Now the safe house provides a comfortable environment and can host up to seven children at a time. It no longer requires a fire for warmth but instead uses a modern heating system. Children who are victims of rights violations stay at the safe house for up to 48 hours before being transferred to other facilities for further care and support. Many children find peace and a sense of safety, even in the short time they spend there.
Furthermore, experts note that incidents of domestic violence tend to rise during times when child and welfare payments are distributed. Ch.Ankhtuya, the senior specialist of the General Authority of Child and Family Development Protection in Selenge Province, explained, “There are many parents who repeatedly neglect or abuse their children. These parents often engage in drinking and drug use, and end up abandoning their children. In such cases, we take the necessary measures, ensure that the parents are rehabilitated, and provide them with training and information. Afterward, we reunite the children with their families. However, there are many cases where such violence has been repeated in a household.”
Since January, almost 720 crimes and offenses have been registered in Selenge Province, of which 51 were related to domestic violence. P.Oyun, the head of the department in Selenge, said, “Our operational costs are funded by the local budget, which allocates 120.1 million MNT. In addition to women and children, elderly people who have been victims of violence sometimes come to the safe house. However, elderly people are often unaware that they are being abused. The abuser is usually their own child. In such cases, the elderly person often tries to protect their child.”
BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS CAN NOW BE STORED AND STOCKPILED FOR LONG PERIODS
Next, a visit was made to the Selenge Province General Hospital. With funding from ADB, the hospital has addressed several pressing issues related to the supply and safety of blood and blood products, medical waste management, and infection prevention. For instance, the hospital’s sterilization equipment was previously outdated, and it was not possible to sterilize multiple devices at once. This often led to delays in emergency surgeries, as doctors had to wait for sterilized tools. However, since the implementation of the “Health Sector Development Program-5” in 2019, the hospital has updated all its sterilization equipment, enabling it to perform endoscopic surgeries as well.
J.Chantsalsuren, a sterilization specialist at the hospital, shared, “Previously, we used sterilization equipment from Russia. Every 10 minutes, we had to sterilize with steam, which wasted a lot of time.” The hospital generates an average of 40-50 kilograms of waste daily. Medical waste poses a significant risk of transmitting various infections, so the hospital now sorts and crushes the waste before burying it in specially prepared pits instead of burning it. D.Erdenesetseg, a waste management specialist, explained, “Previously, we used to burn about 1.5 tons of waste at the landfill, which produced a lot of smoke and unpleasant odors. Now, we no longer burn it; we bury the crushed waste in a specially dug pit.”
In rural areas, the supply of blood and blood products is often limited due to a lack of proper storage and processing equipment. Therefore, with funding from ADB, the Selenge Province General Hospital has modernized its blood center. The hospital is now able to process eight types of blood and blood products, store them for long periods, and stockpile them for emergencies.
The hospital also established a microbiological laboratory, improving its services, but it still faces a shortage of workforce. J.Od, the director of the Selenge Provincial Health Department, highlighted, “When doctors and specialists come to work in rural areas, they face numerous challenges, starting with housing. Our hospital is still lacking professional medical personnel. However, we are trying to address this through policy, including by hiring experienced doctors who have retired.”
Regarding the number of nurses, B.Munkhtsatsral, the head of the Nursing Department at the hospital, mentioned, “In the last five years, we have had very few young professionals join us. For example, last year, only two nurses joined. Currently, there are 154 nurses and specialized staff working here. Sometimes, one doctor or nurse has to handle the work of two to three people. Right now, there are 38 children receiving treatment in the pediatric ward. When we include their caregivers, the number doubles. This shows that the workload for the doctors and nurses here is very high. For example, if one child requires an injection five times a day, you can imagine the workload on the nurses. However, according to the law, they receive overtime pay for the extra hours worked.”
Under the “Health Sector Development Program-5”, not only Selenge Province but also the general hospitals of eight other provinces have solved their medical waste management problems. Additionally, the program has improved the capabilities of 20 hospitals’ microbiological laboratories and 36 hospitals’ sterilization departments, equipping them with new technologies. Furthermore, the National Center for Transfusion Medicine in Ulaanbaatar was fully renovated and accredited in 2019. The blood transfusion centers in 27 districts, soums, and large towns were also modernized.
‘NEW VARIETY OF TOMATOES SUPPLIED TO E-MART’
Also with the support of ADB’s grant, the farmers in Yeruu soum of Selenge Province, have formed a cooperative. As a result of this cooperation, their livelihoods have significantly improved, and they have started producing their own branded products. They sell a variety of fruit jams, pickled vegetables, and other local products within the province. Additionally, the new variety of tomatoes, known as “Jimsuukhei” is supplied to the “E-Mart” retail center in Ulaanbaatar City.
In the framework of the project, the community has also established greenhouses that operate in all four seasons. This development allows them to harvest crops not only in the fall but also in the winter. D.Tungalag, a farmer from the Yeruu soum, shared, “At first, we started growing vegetables together as a group of 20. We follow a set schedule for care and irrigation, taking turns. I am a single mother. Thanks to this project, I can now support my family without anyone’s help, and I have become part of a community.”
The project, aimed at improving household incomes through cooperative vegetable farming, has expanded beyond Yeruu soum of Selenge province. It has also established groups for interested individuals in Darkhan-Uul, Tuv, and Uvs provinces. Currently, the project involves 306 households from four soums.
