————————————————————————
Web page sponsored by General Dynamics Land Systems Force Protection Europe (GDLS FPE)
http://www.gdls.com
——————————————————————-
10 Dec 14. Sierra Leone: OP GRITROCK. 58 National Health Service (NHS) staff have deployed to manage Ebola Treatment Centres in Sierra Leone.
Some 20 NHS staff will be deployed late in December, followed by up to 62 staff early in 2015. (Written Answer (WA), 10 Dec 14.)
The Kerry Town Ebola open access treatment unit will have a maximum capacity of 92 beds to treat patients with Ebola: as at 10 Dec 14, 52 beds were operational. (WA, 11 Dec 14.)
The number of military personnel in Sierra Leone remains steady at around 800. These personnel include logisticians, planners and engineers who are overseeing construction to provide the infrastructure for 700 beds. (MoD, 11 Dec 14.)
Overall the UK is supporting 882 treatment and safe isolation beds in Sierra Leone. (MoD, 15 Dec 14.)
Each group of NHS healthcare staff will be deployed in Sierra Leone for four to five weeks. Over 800 MoD personnel have been deployed to Western Africa. 58 NHS staff and over 125 UK civilian Government personnel are based in Sierra Leone. (WA, 15 Dec 14.)
As at 10 Dec 14, £16.2m had been distributed for the Kerry Town Treatment Centre and 52 beds were operational. The UK has committed £230m to the response in Sierra Leone, including the support of 700 treatment beds to help up to 8,800 patients over six months. (WA, 15 Dec 14.)
RN helicopters and RM landing craft delivered 220 tonnes of food to remote communities 60 miles South of Freetown. (RN, 15 Dec 14.)
Some 80 personnel from two Medical Regiments returned to the UK; having deployed on 21 Oct 14 in order to train over 4,000 Sierra Leonean medical personnel. (MoD, 16 Dec 14.)
The UK is leading the international response to the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone. The UK has already committed £230m and delivered over 880 treatment and isolation beds. Three laboratories have been opened and the number of burial teams doubled. (Oral Answer (OA), 17 Dec 14.)
Over 100 Regulars and Reservists from all three Services left the UK on 20 Dec 14 in order to relieve clinicians who have been deployed to Sierra Leone since October 2014. (MoD, 20 Dec 14.)
Comment: A Written Ministerial Answer on 9 Dec 14 outlined the support provided by central Government for research into finding a vaccine for Ebola. The research includes work on vaccines, treatments & interventions and finding a cure. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 15/01, 29 Dec 14)
15 Dec 14. Iraq: OP SHADER. There are currently eight UK Tornado GR4 based at RAF Akrotiri for Operations over Iraq. There are no concerns with regard to the supply of spares for these aircraft. There are sufficient aircrew to undertake the current level of tasking. (WA, 15 Dec 14.)
About 50 UK personnel are working with the Danes in Northern Iraq, carrying out combat infantry and sharpshooter training. The UK also has about 10 personnel in Irbil. The MoD is considering what further contribution can be made to the training of Iraqi Forces. If further personnel are deployed, they will not be in the combat zones or on the front line. The MoD has not yet made any decisions about numbers or the units from which personnel might be drawn. (OA, 16 Dec 14.)
Coalition aircraft in Iraq either engage in dynamic targeting (responding to an incident) or in deliberate targeting. (WA, 17 Dec 14.)
The Foreign Office will (exceptionally) issue official passports to military personnel going to Iraq who will be accredited to the British Embassy in Baghdad. (Written Statement, 18 Dec 14.)
The Department for International Development is leading the UK.s humanitarian response. The UK Government is delivering £39.5m of aid to Iraq, which includes support for over 200,000 people. (WA, 18 Dec 14.)
As at 16 Dec 14, the num