‘Proud moment’ as NHS staff go to Rohingya aid

British medical staff are flying to Bangladesh to help Rohingya refugees who have been forced to flee Burma in the face of “harrowing” persecution.

Morethan40doctors,nurses and firefighters from the UK’S emergency medical team are making their way to the fishing port Cox’s Bazar where many Rohingya are living in camps after fleeing “horror” in their home country.

They will help tackle a diphtheria outbreak, with 1,470 suspected cases and 20 reported deaths, following a request from the World Health Organisation and Bangladesh’s government.

An estimated 620,000 Rohingya men, women and children have fled to neigh- 0 Health minister Steve Brine: ‘proud tradition of support’ bouring Bangladesh following persecution from the Burmese military in their native state of Rakhine. The persecution started in August.

Health minister Steve Brine said: “The UK has a proud tradition of supporting nations in need. Today marks another proud moment in the history of the NHS.”