Mongolian PM, cabinet resign after outrage over COVID-ill mother and her newborn's death

Mongolia's Prime Minister on Thursday, Jan 21 turned in his resignation, days after thousands of protesters flooded the streets demanding his ouster for the death of the coronavirus-infected mother and her newborn baby. "Unfortunately, we made a mistake during relocating that mother," said Khurelsukh Ukhnaa in a press address, adding that "as prime minister, I must take the responsibility”. Ukhnaa Khurelsukh announced the resignation of his entire government, with two ministers that voluntarily left positions in his cabinet. According to sources of ANI, the leader’s decision to withdraw cabinet members from his ruling party Mongolian People’s Party is subject to discussion at a Parliament meeting. 

Outrage spewed across Mongolia as scores of protesters took to the capital Ulaanbaatar demanding Khurelsukh to step down and “assume responsibility” for the heavy-handed treatment of the COVID-19 infected mother and her newborn. In the TV footage aired by the state-run press, the patient that had just then given birth was forcibly moved to an infectious disease centre for isolation in temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius. She was shown wearing only plastic slippers and pajamas as the authorities prompted her to move inside an ambulance where she clutched her newly born baby tightly. Later, the woman and her child succumbed. 

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People condemned 'inhumane treatment'

Citizens took to the streets in angst as they protested against the government’s mishandling of the pandemic. The director-general of the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD), Dulmaa Nyamkhuu, was the first to be removed from his position, according to the sources of state news agency Montsame. People condemned the inhumane treatment of ill covered patients across the country by Mongolia’s National Center of Communicable Diseases. They protested for the dismissal of the leaders, including Mongolia’s deputy prime minister, the head of the cover task force, head of the hospital and disease center, and health minister, all of whom resigned amid the row and clashes between the citizens and enforcement officials.   

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