PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Developing Countries: Zika Virus (2 February 2016)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what UK bilateral and (b) multilateral funding to support health care system strengthening in countries determined by the WHO to be affected by, or at risk from the Zika virus, has been in each of the last six years.

Asked by:
Stephen Doughty (Labour)

The table below shows UK bilateral disbursements, against a number of OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) health related classifications, to countries on the WHO list of those affected, or likely to be affected, by the Zika virus. These include basic health care, communicable disease control, health education and health personnel development, all of which contribute to strengthening health systems.

Table: UK ODA spend on health 2009-2014

£’000	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Barbados	3
Brazil	13	1,461	2,779	491	1,233	87
Costa Rica		191
Dominican Republic		10		16
Ecuador				3	5
Guatemala	26
Guyana			2	2
Haiti						1,000
Honduras					9
Mexico	61	1,061	105	835	202	363
Nicaragua	219	0
Paraguay			3	2
Venezuela		7
Total	322	2,730	2,890	1,349	1,448	1,450

Source: Statistics on International Development 2015

The UK has also provided support to these countries through core contributions to multilateral organisations, but data on expenditure on specific sectors to specific countries is not available.

DFID and the Department of Health will request the World Health Organisation to provide further guidance on which countries beyond those currently affected are at greatest risk from Zika, including the risks to other regions including Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia; this is scientifically very challenging.

Answered by:
Mr Nick Hurd (Conservative)
5 February 2016