Bangladesh: Rohingya

(asked on 9th March 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the diphtheria epidemic in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.


Answered by
Alistair Burt Portrait
Alistair Burt
This question was answered on 14th March 2018

Following a diphtheria outbreak in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh the UK Emergency Medical Team (EMT) was deployed for six weeks from late December 2017 to early February 2018.

A 40 strong team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and paramedics helped more than 3,000 Rohingya. Almost 500 people were treated for diphtheria and if not for British help, many could have died. DFID also provided £2 million to vaccinate children against diphtheria.

With the outbreak now under control, UK teams have built capacity and handed over to local Bangladeshi health professionals to complete the diphtheria response.

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