Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the covid-19 situation in Myanmar.

Myanmar has reported its highest daily increase in Covid cases since the February coup and international concern is growing because of the country's collapsed health system and the junta's continued crackdown on medics. We are concerned about the impact of Covid on Myanmar's population, and particularly the increased vulnerability to the disease of people who have been internally displaced as a result of the coup. Protecting access to basic healthcare remains a UK priority, and we are ensuring that UK aid continues to support life-saving service delivery.

The UK has provided £35.5 million for the COVID response in Myanmar to date, which is being delivered via Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and UN organisations. We have also re-orientated our wider aid portfolio to mitigate the effects of COVID, prioritising support for health and humanitarian support. UK aid is supporting COVID prevention and providing essential access to clean water, food, sanitation and medical services. We are working with civil society organisations in conflict-affected areas not controlled by the government to improve risk communication within communities and expand testing. We will continue to monitor the situation and work with our partners to respond.