Infectious Disease: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the level of public health risks associated with expedition cruise vessels visiting remote UK Overseas Territories; what protocols are in place for infectious disease screening and response in those territories with limited healthcare infrastructure; and whether he plans to provide additional support, funding and permanent infectious disease resilience measures to those territories.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Overseas Territory governments, keeps the assessment and mitigation of public health risks associated with cruise vessels under continual review.
Responsibility for public health protocols rests with individual Overseas Territory governments. Territories have established local arrangements, which typically include pre-arrival health declarations, onboard isolation capability, and protocols for risk assessment, testing, and clinical management in the event of suspected infectious disease cases.
UKHSA works in partnership with the Overseas Territories to support the development of infectious disease response protocols, providing expert and technical advice and, where required, direct support during incidents and health emergencies, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This may include access to specialist diagnostics, surge support through the deployment of medical and public health personnel, and the provision of medical equipment.
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