– Mine will work with residents, government and NGOs in fight against infectious diseases –
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Oyu Tolgoi, the large copper-gold mine in the South Gobi, has introduced its latest social project designed to improve the living standards of local residents and support new health services.
With its newest initiative, Oyu Tolgoi is working alongside international non profit organisation Pact Institute, the Mongolian National Centre for Communicable Diseases, the Mongolian Red Cross Society and the Public Health Institute to launch a “STD, TB, HIV/AIDS prevention project” around the mine operations area. The project began on March 1, 2012 and will last for a year.
O.Batbayar, Head of the TB Research and Surveillance Department at the National Centre for Communicable Diseases said: “We are very happy that Oyu Tolgoi is fulfilling its social responsibility and initiating and financing this project. I believe other mining companies operating in Mongolia should follow this example and conduct health risk assessments for local residents living in mining impact areas”.
The opportunity of employment at the mines and infrastructure projects has attracted large numbers on in-country migrants to Umnugobi aimag, which increases risk of spread of infectious diseases. As part of its plan to mitigate this risk, Oyu Tolgoi is committed to increasing community's awareness of the risks of TB, HIV/AIDS and STDs and promoting safe practices to prevent the transmission of these infectious diseases.
Project team leader, doctor B.Odontsetseg said: “The overall goal of the project is to empower communities to reduce their TB, STI and HIV/AIDS risk through a coordinated and culutrally appropriate response, under Mongolia's national strategic plans and control programmes".
About Oyu Tolgoi LLC (http://en.ot.mn/)
Oyu Tolgoi LLC is Mongolia's largest copper and gold mining company and is a strategic partnership between the Government of Mongolia (34 per cent stake), Ivanhoe Mines (66 per cent) and Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto is the major shareholder in Ivanhoe Mines and the manager of the Oyu Tolgoi project. In addition to dividends from its 34 per cent stake in Oyu Tolgoi, the Government of Mongolia will receive taxes and royalties.
Oyu Tolgoi, located in the Gobi desert in southern Mongolia, will be one of the largest and highest-grade copper and gold mines in the world. It is the largest project ever developed in Mongolia, requiring a capital investment for phase 1 of more than US$6 billion.
Oyu Tolgoi is committed to contributing to a sustainable future for Mongolia. At least 9 out of 10 employees will be Mongolian once the mine is in production and Oyu Tolgoi is investing US$58 million dollars (78 billion MNT) in training and education and an additional US$27 million dollars (36 billion MNT) in the Workforce Employment Project designed to help address the general skills shortage in Mongolia
Oyu Tolgoi's key priorities are the health and safety of employees, best-practice environmental management, contributing to sustainable communities and always doing business with integrity, for the benefit of all the project's shareholders and the people of Mongolia.
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