NHK WORLD: Saving Young Lives Across Mongolia

Over burning sands in summer and snowy plains of minus 30 degrees Celsius in winter: One medical team is traversing Mongolia to examine and operate on rural children with heart defects for free. Top heart surgeon Dr. Boldsaikhan launched the project in June 2020, saving some 200 children a year with funding from corporate and private donations. But as he fights his own battle with stage four stomach cancer, he is also focused on training his mentee Dr.Khashchuluun to ensure the project will survive. Follow these extraordinary doctors and their team through a year of hard work.

A team of doctors makes its way across the vast, snowy plains of Mongolia

Their visits attract not just local families, but also nearby nomads through social media

Serious cases are brought to Ulaanbaatar for surgery

There are high hopes for Dr. Khashchuluun to continue the project long into the future