Professor Erdenebayer Luvsandorj and Dr. Altanzul Narmandakh
Professor Erdenebayer Luvsandorj is the General Director of the National Centre of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Mongolia. Together with Dr. Altanzul Narmandakh, psychiatrist from the Community Mental Health Team, Professor Erdenbeyer works in the sole mental health hospital in Mongolia which has a population of 2.7 million. With many living in rural areas and 20% of the population living a nomadic life, hospital based mental health care is insufficient for the developing country with low average incomes, and recent major socio-economical changes. Professor Erdenbeyer and Dr. Altanzul have been collaborating with Asia Australia Mental Health on the Asia Pacific Community Mental Health Development Project. More information is available at the
APCMHDP section regarding their example of best practice with a community-based psychosocial rehabilitation program in tented, portable round houses called `gers’ in local areas of Mongolia.
The Australian Leadership Award Fellowship gave Professor Erdenbeyer and Dr. Altanzul the opportunity to attend and present at the International Seminar on Community Mental Health Development, in Melbourne. This seminar focusing on partnerships, shared processes and tools used by participants in their own countries and organisations to plan, develop and improve mental health services