Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – UNICEF Mongolia, together with the Asia eHealth Information Network (AeHIN), Transform Health, the Ministry of Health (MoH), and the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, Communications (MDDIC), organized the Health Data Governance (HDG) Workshop on December 12, 2025, to discuss the implementation roadmap for HDG in Mongolia. The workshop is part of the Asia Regional Engagement, which is an initiative by Transform Health, led by AeHIN in the region.

The workshop was attended by 32 participants from relevant government agencies, departments, and organizations, including the Human Rights Commission, MoH, MoDDIC, the Ministry of Education, the National Data Center, the e-Mongolia Academy, the Financial Information Technology Center, the Health Insurance Authority, the Medicines and Medical Devices Regulatory Agency, the Health Development Center, the National Center for Zoonotic Diseases, the National Public Health Center, the Department of Health of the capital, and UNICEF Mongolia.

The importance of HDG and its significance to the health sector in Mongolia was highlighted by the support received from the Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr. Jigjidsuren Chinburen. Dr. Chinburen highlighted the importance of the workshop in increasing the relevance and effective use of the health data systems, as well as in improving the regulation of the collection, processing, and use of health data to protect and promote health. His leadership and presence at the workshop were very encouraging and showed the commitment from the Government.

AeHIN Executive Director Mr. Jai Ganesh Udayasankaran made the opening remarks at the workshop. In his address, Mr. Udayasankaran set the context for the workshop by explaining the need and importance for countries to develop health data governance legislation and regulatory frameworks. He highlighted the continuous work that AeHIN has been doing with Mongolia from the Digital Health Convergence Workshop in 2024 to the current engagement on HDG. Mr. Udayasankaran presented the objectives and plans for the ongoing HDG Asia Regional Engagement project with Transform Health in Mongolia, Nepal, and Vietnam. He explained the HDG Model Law and the aims of the workshop to validate the gaps identified in the regulatory landscape assessment and to develop an implementation roadmap for HDG.

During the workshop, AeHIN consultant Ms. Bayalagmaa Bayraa presented the findings from the landscape assessment on current laws and regulations related to HDG. Group activities aimed at validating the gaps and needs identified in the landscape assessment, as well as aligning on the way forward to develop the HDG implementation roadmap for Mongolia, were conducted to gather inputs from multiple stakeholders.

Suggestions that were gathered from the workshop include:

  • Formalize the procedures for health data collection and processing.
  • Revise the law to include provisions for community health data and collective consent, and improve the legal framework for obtaining simultaneous consent.
  • Further develop and strengthen measures for encryption and coding of health data.
  • Ensure cybersecurity law enforcement and organize outreach activities regarding the obligations stipulated by the digital development law package.
  • Define specific conditions for the notification and non-notification of cyberattacks and data breaches. Continue legal and institutional support for the Unified Health Data System implementation, and improve the mechanisms for integrating the health insurance system with other health information systems.
  • Implement the ISO 27035 standard immediately, formally establish cooperation with the national cyber incident response center, and ensure effective implementation of regulations allowing system developers to determine data access rights.
  • Implement mechanisms for government organizations to exchange information on a contractual basis, and establish that the right to determine access to information may belong to the person responsible for the information, while adhering to data protection laws.

AeHIN looks forward to working together with the Government and partners to further strengthen the national digital health program in Mongolia.