About FIRE

FIRE (Flagstaff International Relief Effort) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Flagstaff, Arizona, with a registered branch office in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Since 1999, FIRE has served remote and underserved communities throughout rural Mongolia. Since 2009, our focus has been on liver health, with award-winning programs that evolve to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

FIRE’s sustainable, community-driven initiatives are culturally sensitive, targeting rural populations, and are designed for replication in other countries. We collaborate with partners at local, national, and international levels, including governments, civil society organizations, and individuals.

Mongolia is the least densely populated country in the world. Rural Mongolia’s sparse population, limited resources, and logistical challenges are often overlooked by other organizations. FIRE provides critical testing, treatment, health, and educational support to these isolated communities, expanding access to care and saving lives. We remain adaptable and innovative, continually assessing and updating our programs based on the lessons we have learned.

In 2016, FIRE was recognized by the World Health Organization and the European Association for the Study of the Liver as one of five “Innovative Hepatitis Screening Projects” worldwide. In 2017, FIRE’s screening work was featured in The Economist Intelligence Unit as an example of best practices for HCV screening initiatives, and FIRE’s Executive Director was also named one of 18 Hepatitis C Change Makers and one of 6 Hepatitis C Change Maker Honorees by The Economist Intelligence Unit. Change Makers were recognized as innovators doing exemplary work to inspire and guide their peers on the path to HCV elimination.

Since 2017, FIRE has spearheaded the Hepatitis Free Mongolia program, with Phases 1 and 2 funded by Gilead Sciences and Rotary International. Phase 1, launched in conjunction with Mongolia’s National Healthy Liver Program, established a screening model that increased testing and treatment access across Dornod province by visiting all 13 clinics and hospitals. This initiative introduced previously unavailable testing to the area, including specialty tests necessary for initiating treatment. Phase 2 aims to eliminate hepatitis C in Sukhbaatar province by the end of 2024, with 90% of the province tested for hepatitis B and C, and 80% of those testing positive for hepatitis C provided curative treatment. Phase 3 is under development and is expected to start in 2025.

These life-changing programs have been strategically and responsibly implemented through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Mongolia, signed in November 2009. FIRE is a recognized leader in hepatitis and health safety in Mongolia with strong working partnerships that have included the Mongolian MoH, World Health Organization (WHO), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), Rotary International, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD), National Cancer Center (NCC), the Mongolian Association of Gastroenterologists, and countless other organizations and state agencies across Mongolia.

Please visit FIRE’s website to learn more.