Scotland sends £2.9 million of urgently needed items
Scotland is sending critical medical supplies and equipment to help Ukraine following the illegal invasion by Russia.
Over 500,000 emergency items valued at about £2.9 million, including hypodermic needles and oxygen masks are being donated by NHS Scotland.
An initial donation will be flown from Stansted Airport in Essex to Poland tomorrow (Thursday) for onward transport to Ukraine and includes wound dressings and bandages. These supplies are urgently needed by the Ukrainian Government.
The medical aid is in addition to £4 million of humanitarian assistance for Ukraine announced by the Scottish Government on Monday, which will help provide basic support such as shelter, water and sanitation.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the NHS equipment storage facility in Motherwell to see the supplies being loaded. She said: “Scotland stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and we are ready to provide whatever support we can in their hour of need.
“The Ukrainian Government has requested critical medical assistance and I am proud of our NHS and all those who have worked tirelessly in recent days to make this initial consignment possible. We will deliver the rest of the supplies as quickly as we can.
“Scotland has strong links with Ukraine – Edinburgh is twinned with Kyiv and many Ukrainians have chosen our country as their home – and we will continue to provide practical help as it faces Russia’s unprovoked and illegal aggression.”
NHS National Services Scotland Chief Executive Mary Morgan said: “We are all very saddened by what is happening in Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those affected.
“Colleagues across NHS National Services Scotland, quickly mobilised to compile this shipment of necessary medical equipment which will go towards supporting the people of Ukraine, and we as an organisation will do whatever we can to support this period of uncertainty.
“Time is of the essence in this these situations, and thanks goes to the NHS teams for a fantastic effort in the coordination of this effort to support the humanitarian effort of Ukraine.”
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has pledged up to £105 million of UK emergency aid to help vulnerable countries tackle the Omicron Covid-19 variant, with a particular focus on Africa.
The vital aid will be delivered through trusted partners and will:
Scale-up testing – especially in parts of Africa where testing rates for Covid-19 remain lowest – allowing health systems to track and respond to the spread of the virus more effectively. This is in addition to the UK’s world-leading genomic sequencing support.
Improve access to oxygen supplies for ventilators – a surge in demand for oxygen is a significant risk for some countries.
Provide communities with hygiene advice, products and access to handwashing facilities and support deep cleaning in schools, health centres and other public places. This will build on the successful global hygiene campaign between UK aid and Unilever which has reached over 1.2 billion people since its launch in 2020.
Fund the UK’s ground-breaking science and research into the spread of variants like Omicron to enable innovative evidence-based policy responses in low and middle-income countries.
Ready the UK’s own expert emergency teams for deployment overseas to crisis hotspots, including with new medical equipment.
The UK Government has also confirmed today that over 30 million vaccines have been delivered so far as part of the UK’s pledge to donate 100 million doses to the world, benefitting more than 30 countries.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “The UK is providing vital assistance to help tackle the spread of new variants around the world. This is key to securing our freedom and ending this pandemic once and for all.
“I am proud that we have also delivered over 30 million vaccines to benefit our friends around the world this year. The UK is helping other countries most in need. No one is safe until everyone is safe.”
Doses donated by the UK have reached four continents and provided vital protection from Covid-19 in countries including Angola, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Malawi, Nepal, and Rwanda.
Of the more than 30 million doses now donated, 24.6 million have been received by COVAX for delivery to countries and 5.5 million have been shared directly with countries in need including Kenya, Jamaica, and Indonesia.
Millions more vaccines will be sent to other countries in 2022, including 20 million Oxford-AstraZeneca doses and 20 million Janssen doses.
The UK has been at the forefront of the global response to Covid-19. Today’s announcement builds on the £1.3 billion in UK aid committed to the international health response early on in the pandemic, supporting vaccines, health systems and economic recovery in developing countries.
The Government also invested more than £88 million to support the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and the UK became the first country in the world to approve the jab a year ago today.
Thanks to AstraZeneca’s commitment distribute the vaccine on a non-profit basis, 2.5 billion doses have been used in more than 170 countries, two thirds of which are low- and middle-income countries.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The global pandemic has challenged health systems around the world and the best way to overcome this awful disease is to unite and stand side by side with our international partners.
“By supporting countries with the UK’s ground breaking science and research into the spread of variants, improving access to oxygen and scaling up testing we will help those most in need chart their course out of the pandemic.
“I am proud that we have already delivered over 30 million vaccines to our friends abroad. The UK, as a global leader, is helping other countries most in need. No one is safe until everyone is safe.”
Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said: “We welcome the UK’s commitment in new funding to protect the most vulnerable, particularly in Africa; the UK’s continued focus on COVAX and equitable global access to COVID19 vaccines, both through early financing commitments made at UNGA 2020, as well as meeting the Prime Minister’s G7 commitment to dose sharing – the 30m target set by the end of 2021.
“We look forward to operationalising the remainder of the UK’s dose sharing commitment via COVAX in 2022, while we also work with the UK Government on continuing to support Gavi’s ambitious 2021- 2025 routine vaccination programmes, of which the United Kingdom is the largest funder through the PM’s commitment made at the UK-hosted Global Vaccine Summit in June 2020.”
Following yesterday’s explosion at Beirut Port, the UK has announced a package of emergency support to Lebanon.
Following Tuesday’s explosion at Beirut Port, which has left thousands injured and caused widespread destruction, the UK yesterday announced a package of emergency support to Lebanon.
The UK has offered to immediately deploy search and rescue experts with specially trained dogs to help find those caught up in the blast.
Following a call between the Hassan Diab, Prime Minister of Lebanon and the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, the UK has made up to £5 million in emergency humanitarian funding available to help people made homeless by the disaster.
The UK has also offered enhanced support to the Lebanese Armed Forces, who are central to the Government of Lebanon’s response, including tailored medical help, strategic air transport assistance, and engineering and communications support.
The UK has also offered to send an EMT advance clinical advisory team who could provide initial assessment and coordination with search and rescue teams. UK International Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) offer a rapid provision of internationally accredited public health, medical and surgical teams including both NHS and non NHS experts.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “This was a devastating explosion which has caused enormous suffering and damage. The UK is a long-standing friend of Lebanon and the Lebanese people, and will stand with them in their hour of need.
“We have offered immediate direct support including search and rescue, emergency medical assistance and up to £5m in humanitarian aid.
International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “We have all been shocked by the scenes of devastation and suffering in Beirut. My heart goes out to all those who have been affected by this tragedy and who have lost loved ones.
The UK stands ready to support the people of Lebanon in their time of need and has offered to send medics and rescue workers to treat those who have been injured.
The damage caused by the blast, which measured 4.5 on the Richter scale and was felt as far away as Cyprus (150 miles from Beirut), is widespread and likely to have long-lasting consequences. Lebanon was already experiencing a major economic crisis and dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, as well as hosting over 1.5 million refugees from the war in neighbouring Syria.
The UK already works closely with Lebanon and this partnership is focused on managing the humanitarian, stability and security implications of the war in Syria.
Since the start of the Syria Crisis, DFID has allocated just under £700 million in humanitarian and development funding to Lebanon, including providing support for sanitation facilities, education for refugees and helped provide jobs for both Lebanese and Syrian communities.
British Red Cross launches Beirut Emergency Appeal
British Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal to save lives and support the recovery following yesterday’s devastating explosion in Beirut
It’s reported that at least 100 people have been killed and over 4,000 people are injured. These numbers are likely to continue to rise.
Lebanese Red Cross have been responding to the crisis since last night
Search and rescue teams from the Lebanese Red Cross are looking through the rubble and devastation to find anyone trapped
The Lebanese Red Cross has sent all of its emergency medical support to the scene, with more than 75 ambulances and over 375 emergency medical responders from across Lebanon rushing to the area to help evacuate and treat the injured
Today, the British Red Cross has launched the Beirut Emergency Appeal for anyone in the UK who would like to support the relief effort in Beirut, following the devastating explosion yesterday.
The funds raised will help the relief work on the ground being provided by the Lebanese Red Cross, who are responding to this emergency.
Search and rescue teams from the Lebanese Red Cross are looking through the rubble and devastation to find anyone trapped. All of Lebanese Red Cross’ emergency medical support has already been sent to the scene, with more than 75 ambulances and over 375 emergency medical responders from across Lebanon rushing to the area to help evacuate and treat the injured. This is crucial to get people to hospitals outside of Beirut for life-saving treatment.
First aid stations have been set up in and around Beirut to help people who have been injured and Lebanese Red Cross teams are helping patients who have been so badly injured.
People in Beirut are dealing with injuries, loss of loved ones and damaged homes. This comes at a time when Lebanon is experiencing an economic crisis, and the tragic and complex challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Some people have had to be treated in the streets and the number of fatalities is likely to rise. If you can, please donate to our Beirut Emergency Appeal to save lives right now and help people recover.”
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Scotland’s response to the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in southern Europe will be set out at a summit chaired by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today (Friday 4 September).
The First Minister will bring together stakeholders from the refugee community, third sector, local authorities, political leaders and other representatives of civic Scotland in Edinburgh to discuss the situation and set out what Scotland can do to help.
Ahead of the summit, the First Minister has again written to the Prime Minister urging him to sign up to the EU proposals on relocation and refugee resettlement and allow the UK to take its fair share of people fleeing persecution and conflict (see below).
Yesterday, the First Minister told the Scottish Parliament that Scotland stood ready to help refugees in need of help.
She said: “I have taken the step of convening a summit tomorrow to which I have invited humanitarian organisations including the Scottish Refugee Council, leaders of councils and civic organisations and indeed our churches.
“As First Minister of Scotland, I pledge that I will ensure that Scotland does everything possible to help this refuges crisis. I will be far from the only person reduced to tears last night by the picture of a little boy washed up on a beach.
“That wee boy has touched our hearts but his is not an isolated tragedy. He and thousands like him, whose lives are at risk, are not somebody else’s responsibility, they are the responsibility of all of us.
“I am angry, very angry, at the walk on by on the other side approach of the UK Government. I implore David Cameron to change his position and change it today. And I pledge, as First Minister of this country, that we stand ready to help offer sanctuary to refugees who need our help.”
The First Minister’s letter to the Prime Minister reads:
Dear David,
I am in no doubt that we are all horrified by the scale of the refugee crisis unfolding on Europe’s shore. The tragic death of three year old Aylan Kurdi, washed up on Turkey’s beach line, only serves to highlight further the plight of the thousands of people seeking safety and protection.
The scale of such a humanitarian emergency is immense but it is not insurmountable. We recognise the need for long term, coordinated action to tackle the causes of this crisis but this cannot be a substitute for an immediate humanitarian response.
We, with our neighbours and friends across the EU, have a moral obligation to offer a place of safety to these desperate people fleeing conflict and persecution. I welcomed the expansion of the Syrian Vulnerable Person scheme but I would stress that this in itself is not sufficient to address the crisis we are witnessing.
I strongly urge you to reconsider the UK Government’s current response. The Scottish Government believes we must take part in the EU response. We can start by participating in the initial EU proposals on relocation and refugee resettlement. The UK must take a proportionate share of people fleeing conflict and persecution.
I would once again reiterate that Scotland stands ready to support the UK Government in providing an appropriate response to this situation.
