Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that noise pollution leads to a variety of short-term and long-term health issues, including sleep disorders, cardiovascular diseases, impaired concentration, decreased performance at work and school, and hearing difficulties. It has been established that for every 10 dB increase in environmental noise, the incidence of heart attacks among individuals aged 65 and older increases by 3.9% compared to those living in quieter environments (Seidler, et al., 2016). Furthermore, it has been found that noise pollution exceeding 65 dB is directly related to hypertension among residents living along high-traffic roads. Objective: To assessing traffic load and noise pollution on the roads of Ulaanbaatar Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted to determine noise pollution at 15 locations along roads such as Sun Road, Peace Avenue, Ard-Ayush Street, and Ikh Toiruu. Measurements were taken during morning (7-9 AM), afternoon (12-2 PM), evening (5-7 PM), and night (11 PM-1 AM) using a Noise Meter, Sound Level Meter, and portable equipment. Measurements were conducted at one point 100-200 meters from the main road, with three repetitions to assess hearing levels. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-24 software, and the results were compared to the Air Quality Technical General Requirements MNS 4585:2016 standard (During the day (07:00-22:00), 60 dB(A), and at night (22:00 07:00), 45 dB(A)). Results: The measurement results revealed that the maximum noise value in the morning (7-9 AM) was 83 dB(A), the minimum noise value was 51 dB(A), and the average of the maximum noise values was 74.1±4.7 dB(A). The maximum noise value during the day was 97 dB(A), the minimum noise value was 47 dB(A), and the average of the maximum noise value was 74.4±6.9 dB(A). In the evening, the maximum noise value was 88 dB(A), the minimum noise value was 47 dB(A), and the average of the maximum noise value was 74.4±6.6 dB(A). For the night measurements, the maximum noise value was 86 dB(A), the minimum noise value was 49 dB(A), and the average of the maximum noise value was 69.4±7.7 dB(A).
When calculating the average noise pollution on weekdays and weekends, the average of the max and min values during the morning, evening, and night on weekdays was 0.59-4.33 dB(A) higher than that of the weekend. The average maximum value during the day on weekends was 2.79 dB(A) higher than that of weekdays. The number of vehicles participating in road traffic showed a strong positive correlation with environmental noise (Rxy=0.660, p=0.0001), and the number of times the horn was sounded also revealed strong positive correlation with environmental noise (Rxy=0.674, p=0.029). Conclusion The noise level along the main roads exceeds the permissible limits set by the "Air Quality. Technical General Requirements MNS 4585:2016" standard by 37 dB(A) during the day and by 41 dB(A) at night. The average maximum value during the day exceeds the standard by 14.6 dB(A). This indicates that Ulaanbaatar is experiencing noise pollution at levels that negatively affect the health of the urban population.

Background: Hand hygiene is a fundamental component of infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities. Healthcare workers’ hands can transmit pathogens between patients, medical equipment, and environmental surfaces, contributing to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Objective: To synthesize evidence on hand hygiene conditions, soap and alcohol-based hand rub availability, compliance, public health importance, and economic benefits in healthcare facilities, with particular relevance to Mongolia. Material and Methods: A narrative review was conducted using published studies, international guidelines, WHO/UNICEF reports, and Mongolian regulatory documents addressing hand hygiene infrastructure, essential supplies, compliance, HAI prevention, and economic outcomes. Results: Hand hygiene compliance remains suboptimal in many healthcare settings and is frequently reported below 40%. Compliance is influenced not only by healthcare workers’ knowledge and attitudes but also by the availability of running water, functional sinks, liquid soap, alcohol-based hand rub, hand-drying facilities, training, workload, institutional leadership, monitoring, and feedback. HAIs are more common in low- and middle-income countries, where limitations in water, sanitation, hygiene, and infection prevention infrastructure increase risks for patients and healthcare workers. In Mongolia, basic hand hygiene service coverage has been reported at approximately 72%, indicating continuing gaps in essential facilities and supplies. Multimodal strategies that combine system improvement, education, reminders, monitoring, feedback, and institutional support are more likely to improve compliance and reduce infection risks. Economic evidence also indicates that hand hygiene is a high-value intervention: every US$1 invested in hand hygiene improvement may save up to US$16.50 in healthcare expenditure, while hygiene promotion including handwashing can avert one DALY at an estimated cost of US$3.35. Conclusion Strengthening hand hygiene in Mongolian healthcare facilities requires sustainable financing, reliable supply systems, adequate infrastructure, continuous training, and routine monitoring. Integrating these measures into IPC and WASH programmes can improve patient safety, reduce HAIs, and generate substantial public health and economic benefits.

Background: Hand hygiene is a fundamental component of infection prevention and control in healthcare settings. Effective hand hygiene requires functional infrastructure and the consistent availability of essential supplies, including clean water, soap, hand disinfectants, and hand-drying materials. Assessing these conditions is essential for identifying gaps in service provision and informing targeted improvements in healthcare facilities. Aim: To assess hand hygiene conditions and the availability of essential handwashing supplies in selected healthcare facilities in Mongolia. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 healthcare facilities located in urban and rural areas of Mongolia. Hand hygiene conditions and the availability of essential supplies were assessed at 186 handwashing stations using a structured observation checklist. Additionally, information on the budgeting and financial planning of handwashing supplies was collected from each participating healthcare facility using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences on April 17, 2026 (Approval No. 26/04-01). Results: Of the 186 observation points, 55.9% were located in urban areas and 44.1% in rural areas. Overall, 92.5% had functional handwashing sinks, 88.2% had access to clean water, 73.7% had liquid soap, 57.0% had disposable paper towels, and 52.2% had hand sanitizer available at the handwashing station. Accessible handwashing facilities for persons with disabilities were identified at 26.3% of observation points. The availability of liquid soap (82.7% vs 62.2%; p=0.002) and hand sanitizer (72.1% vs 26.8%; p<0.001) was significantly higher in urban than in rural areas. Among the 20 healthcare facilities, 80.0% allocated a budget for handwashing supplies, but only 5.0% based their budget planning on actual soap consumption reports. Conclusion Although basic handwashing infrastructure was generally available in the surveyed healthcare facilities, gaps persisted in the availability of essential hand hygiene supplies, particularly in rural areas. Limited accessibility for persons with disabilities and the infrequent use of consumption data in budget planning indicate areas requiring improvement. Strengthening the continuous provision of hand hygiene supplies, improving accessible infrastructure, and adopting consumption-based budgeting practices are essential priorities for improving hand hygiene conditions in healthcare facilities.

Introduction: Total environment 24 % of all estimated global deaths are linked to the environment. As of 2022, Ulaanbaatar has a population of 1,691,800, vehicles 435,725, thermal power plants 4, market and shopping centers 111, factories 13,465, and 225 gas stations. Also, 1.5 million tons of waste are generated annually, 1135.6 tons of coal are used, and environmental pollution is increasing year by year. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the heavy metal contamination of the soil of Ulaanbaatar city and protect the health of the population. Purpose: To determine heavy metals pollution in the soil of Ulaanbaatar city Materials and Methods: We used descriptive research design in this study. Secondary data from Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Department was used. The content of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd)) in the soil was evaluated in comparison with the maximum permissible amount specified in the MNS 5850:2019 standard. Statistical analyzing was calculated using SPSS-25 software, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The average concentration of heavy metals in the soil of residential areas of 9 districts of Ulaanbaatar city is cadmium 0.43 mg/kg (min=0, max=26.6), mercury 0.22 mg/kg (min=0, max=4), chromium 11.2 mg/kg ( min=0, max=1609.6), lead is 24.4 mg/kg (min=0, max=257.2). Cadmium concentration in soil Bagakhangai (25%), Baganuur (19.7%), Khan-Uul (18.9%), lead concentration in Nalaikh (8.3%), Bayanzurkh (5.4%), Chingeltei (3.3), mercury concentration in Baganuur ( 24.7%), Khan-Uul (18.4%), and chromium concentration in certain locations of Khan-Uul (4.7%) districts exceeded the standards, respectively. The concentration of soil cadmium (21.2%) and lead (7.7%) near the technical market, mercury concentration (26.3%) near the market and shopping center, and chromium concentration (58.9%) near the central treatment plant exceeded the maximum permissible levels. Conclusion Cadmium and mercury pollution were mainly detected in the heavy metal pollution of the soil of Ulaanbaatar city, and there is heavy metal pollution in certain locations of Baganuur and Khan-Uul districts. Heavy metal pollution is caused by activities such as technical markets, auto repair shops, markets, shopping centers, and treatment plants.