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The UK has once again led the response to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, by contributing to a vaccination programme which will protect more than 350,000 vulnerable Rohingya children from a deadly outbreak of diphtheria.

The vaccination campaign, which began in December, is due to run until February, has already ensured more than 315,000 children aged between six-weeks and 15-years-old, living in or near the world’s biggest camp in Cox’s Bazar, are protected.

Overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar are a breeding ground for contagious diphtheria, with 100 new cases every day.

Since late 2017, there have been nearly 4,000 suspected cases and at least 31 deaths. More than half the deaths relate to children under the age of five.

Diphtheria is especially dangerous for children. It is fast spreading and fatal, causing extreme breathing difficulties, inflammation of the heart which can lead to heart failure, problems with the nervous system and fatal paralysis.

In tandem with the vaccination campaign, which is being carried out by UNICEF, the UK has also provided specialist expertise in the form of British doctors, nurses, paramedics and midwives, who are treating diphtheria patients.

Only three weeks after arriving in the camps, the skills of the 40-strong UK aid-funded Emergency Medical Team have made a significant difference and saved countless lives, including that of four-year-old Anowar.

He was referred to the treatment centre at 9am last Monday (January 8), in a weak and lethargic condition and displaying symptoms of diphtheria.

Anowar’s symptoms were so severe; the clinicians decided that he needed diphtheria anti-toxin immediately in addition to a course of antibiotics. By 4pm that afternoon his health had improved significantly, and he was soon released to complete his treatment in the care of his relieved family. He is now doing well and looked healthier when he visited the treatment centre on Thursday 11 January for a check-up.

The intervention of the UK medics undoubtedly saved Anowar’s life but it has also had a wider impact as clinicians were also able to treat his entire family with precautionary antibiotics, preventing them from going through the same suffering as Anowar.

The Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh from neighbouring Burma following persecution by its military. In November 2017, the International Development Secretary visited Cox’s Bazar where she announced extra UK aid for the humanitarian crisis, ensuring more lives are not put at risk when international funding starts to run out in February 2018.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

It is difficult to comprehend the depth of human suffering among the hundreds and thousands of Rohingya who have fled persecution in Burma. Many have sought refuge in Bangladesh, but their plight is far from over as diphtheria, an entirely preventable disease, is claiming the lives of those who thought they had finally reached safety.

British expertise and aid is saving lives in Cox’s Bazar, preventing and treating this deadly infection, helping children like Anowar.

In today’s world, no child should die from a preventable disease. The UK is giving hope and a chance to Rohingya families.

Notes for Editors:

1. DFID is funding £2million of the $4.6 million cost (£3.4 million) required to vaccinate 351,458 children aged six-weeks to 15-years-old as part of the campaign.
2. The wider UNICEF vaccination campaign will also vaccinate 130,000 school children living in host communities near to the camps in Cox’s Bazar.
3. Funding for this vaccination campaign has been provided from the response budget announced on 23rd October and 27th November 2017.
4. Medics have worked tirelessly to ensure the swift vaccination of those most at risk. To date 315,889 children have been reached.
5. DFID is working in partnership with the government of Bangladesh to ensure that children living in the camps and host communities are vaccinated against this deadly disease.
6. The UK’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT) is a collaboration between DFID, the NHS, Public Health England, UK Med – a register of NHS volunteers ready to deploy to emergencies, Handicap International and the UK Fire and Rescue Service. This is the first deployment of the EMT since it was verified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in December 2016. UK medical personnel have previously been deployed to respond to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013 and the Nepal earthquake in 2015.
7. The deployment will be funded from DFID’s Bangladesh humanitarian budget – up to £650,000 has been earmarked for the EMT.
8. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection. It most often causes infection of the upper respiratory tract. Diphtheria is most commonly spread from person to person through respiratory droplets (coughs and sneezes), or by direct contact with either respiratory secretions or infected skin lesions. Respiratory diphtheria usually occurs after an incubation period of 2-5 days. It causes life-threatening airway obstruction if untreated.
9. The first suspected case of diphtheria was reported on 10 November at an MSF clinic in Cox’s Bazar. The outbreak was confirmed through laboratory testing on 04 December 2017. As of 10/1, 3,868 suspected cases of diphtheria and 31 deaths have been reported.
10. In response to the diphtheria outbreak in Cox’s Bazaar, existing clinical facilitates are being converted and scaled up. This is currently being led by Médecins Sans Frontières MSF and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). However IOM and other international NGOs are unable to manage the complex care needs of these patients, which is why they require the support of UK staff.
11. IOM will provide the medical facilities for the deployment. World Health Organisation (WHO) will provide drugs. The UK’s EMT will provide a specialised clinical team, clinical oversight, some key medical equipment not available in country, and accommodation and transport for staff.
12. Following the request for international assistance by the World Health Organisation on 15 December, a UK EMT team travelled to Bangladesh to conduct an emergency assessment, and recommended the deployment of the EMT.
13. Staff will be rotated out of Cox’s Bazaar after three weeks. Staff will have a diphtheria booster injection before deployment and will then be at minimal risk of contracting the disease.
14. The UK has currently contributed £59 million to the crisis since 25 August 2017.
15. Free-to-use video content is available to download here.

On 13th January , The British Embassy in Addis Ababa hosted an event for the UK’s Cranfield University Alumni in Ethiopia.

The Alumni group comprised military officers and government officials from across East Africa, including many Ethiopians, who have completed an Executive Masters programme in Security Sector Management. The Masters is delivered by the Cranfield University, the academic partner of the UK Defence Academy, and was first delivered in Addis Ababa in 1999.

The event brought together former students of the University and academic speakers. They shared experiences and enjoyed healthy debate and discussion.

Professor Ron Matthews, a world leading security and development economist, and Ian Westerman, Cranfield University academic spoke on ‘‘Defence Economics in Developmental States” and “Challenging Huntingtonian Thinking: Alternative Civil–Military Relations and Successful Defence Transformations” respectively.

Defence Attaché Col. Matt Munro said:

I am delighted to be hosting Cranfield University Alumni today here at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is one of the UK’s strategic partners in global peace and security. We have been, and are keen to continue, helping improve the capacity of our partners. I believe this event will help Cranfield Alumni in Ethiopia gain insights from well known experts in the area.

Notes to Editors

The UK has long supported Ethiopia’s peacekeeping capability through the Peace Support Training Centre (PSTC), based in Addis Ababa. Our joint work will help strengthen UN and AU peace operations both in the Horn and globally.

The Cranfield University courses help individuals to acquire and apply skills and knowledge to past and present challenges in a range of transitional societies. In addition to exploring the critical linkage between the security, development and management disciplines, the course provides a strong foundation for translating policy into effective programmes and plans.

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Today (15 January 2017) the Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster announced the government will continue to deliver all public sector services following the insolvency of Carillion PLC.

After meeting with their bankers and lenders, Carillion has announced its decision to initiate insolvency proceedings. The Official Receiver has been appointed by the court as liquidator along with partners at PwC that have been appointed Special Managers.

Government will provide the necessary funding required by the Official Receiver to maintain public services.

Those already receiving their pensions will continue to receive payment. A dedicated web page and helpline have also been set up for workers who may be concerned or have questions about their personal situation.

The Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP said:

It is regrettable that Carillion has not been able to find suitable financing options with its lenders but taxpayers cannot be expected to bail out a private sector company.

Since profit warnings were first issued in July, the Government has been closely monitoring the situation and has been in constructive discussion with Carillion while it sought to refinance its business. We remained hopeful that a solution could be found while putting robust contingency plans in place to prepare for every eventuality. It is of course disappointing that Carillion has become insolvent, but our primary responsibility has always been keep our essential public services running safely.

We understand that some members of the public will be concerned by recent news reports. For clarity – All employees should keep coming to work, you will continue to get paid. Staff that are engaged on public sector contracts still have important work to do.

Since its inception in the 1990s private finance has helped to deliver around £60 billion of much-needed capital investment in infrastructure in the UK across a range of projects and we will continue to maintain partnerships with responsible firms in future.

Further information

1. For media enquiries on government’s response to Carillion insolvency contact Cabinet Office Communications: 020 7276 2210/07074 667 000 (out of hours).
2. Carillion held approximately 450 contracts with government, representing 38% of Carillion’s 2016 reported revenue. Key central government contracts are held with DfE, DHSC, MoJ, MoD, and DfT. For media enquiries about departmental services contact: DfE: 0207 783 8300/ 020 7783 8300 (out of hours) ; DHSC: 0207 210 3872/ 07050 073 581 (out of hours); MoJ: 020 3334 3536/07659 173 270 (out of hours); DfT: 0207 944 3021/ 020 7944 4292 (out of hours); MoD: 02072187907 (out of hours)
3. Anyone worried about their pension situation can ring The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) on 0300 123 1047 for free and impartial guidance. TPAS has also set up a special helpline number for members of these pension schemes: 020 7630 2715. JobCentre Plus, through its Rapid Response Service, stands ready to support any employee affected by this announcement.
4. The Official Receiver works for the Insolvency Service, which is an agency of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He is liquidator of the companies and his job is to realise the assets of the company, deal with creditors’ claims, and investigate the cause of failure. The Official Receiver also has a duty to investigate generally the business, dealings, and affairs of the company. In his role as liquidator, the Official Receiver is an officer of the court and is independent from government. The legal and practical consequence of liquidation is that the liquidator takes over the day-to-day control of the company. In liquidation, the directors will have no continuing role in controlling and managing the company. The liquidator’s primary duties are to the creditors and the cost of the liquidation are paid from the company’s assets. For media queries about the Insolvency Service call: 020 7596 6187