The food shortage has had a deep impact on the health situation. The Mongolians depend on yaks, goats and horses for their livelihood. In addition to malnutrition, the team ran into cardiac and vascular diseases and intestinal and bronchial infections.

MSF distributed food to destitute families and supplied new horses, the main means of transport in this barren region. The organisation also delivered medication and medical supplies to the existing healthcare facilities. It will take many years before the people manage to rebuild their herds.

Some families have nothing left. The team is deeply concerned about how the situation will develop in the months ahead and fears that it will be no better than last year. A dry summer would be disastrous as the already emaciated livestock would then scarcely get a chance to recuperate.