Healthcare workers in Mongolia are demanding fair wages, improved working conditions, and recognition of their essential role in the nation's health system. Despite being on the frontlines of healthcare delivery, these workers face inadequate compensation and challenging work environments that threaten the sustainability of Mongolia's healthcare system. 

The Mongolian Health Workers Union (MHWU), in collaboration with the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Union (CMTU), has been protesting since early October. On October 9, 2025, they called the first nationwide demonstration under the slogan "For Genuine Reform in the Health Sector." Healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, and health employees across Mongolia—participated in a collective call for fair pay, improved working conditions, and systemic reform. On October 20, the MHWU shifted to a sit-in action at the central square. 

The MHWU has announced that healthcare workers will go on strike next week if the Ministry of Health and Government of Mongolia do not open constructive dialogue with them. 

Key demands of the protesting workers are: 

• Increase base salary of healthcare workers to 3.5 million MNT (1,000 USD) 

• Resolve hospital debts and address chronic funding shortages 

• Reform the structure and governance of the Health Insurance Fund 

• Eliminate workplace pressure and ensure equality in labour valuation 

• Protect the quality and accessibility of healthcare services for all citizens 

The Government of Mongolia has not implemented the provisions outlined in sectoral agreements. These agreements were established under the country's relevant laws to guarantee salary increases and enhance social protection for public service employees. 

The commitments made in the 2023–2025 National Tripartite Agreement on Labor and Social Consensus have not been fulfilled. Collective agreements in the education, science, and health sectors also included wage commitments, which remain unfulfilled. 

Additionally, Mongolia's draft 2026 State Budget fails to allocate sufficient resources for salary adjustments and social protection measures for public service employees. 

Before starting the agitation, MHWU sent a number of requests to the Ministry of Health to sit at the table and launch a bi-partite discussion in order to solve problems faced by the healthcare sector workers. 

In support of the protesting workers, the International Trade Union Confederation Asia-Pacific (ITUC-AP) adopted Resolution 6 at their 27th Regional General Council meeting in Fiji on October 15–16, 2025. This resolution addresses the urgent need to support Mongolian healthcare workers in their fight for decent work and fair treatment. 

The resolution demands the Government of Mongolia to:  

• Ensure full implementation of national and sectoral agreements on increasing the salaries of public service employees  

• Fully allocate in the 2026 State Budget the necessary funding for the salaries and social protection of public service employees  

• Engage in constructive dialogue with the CMTU and its affiliated organizations to address the longstanding issues faced by workers in the public sector.