<p>The UK has major health and humanitarian programmes in Cox’s Bazar and across Bangladesh, including in Dhaka. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of essential health and humanitarian services. UK Aid has re-prioritised activities to tackle the immediate health impacts and the broader socio-economic effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. This includes the Rohingya refugees and surrounding communities in Cox’s Bazar, where the UK has committed £256 million since 2017. Rapid humanitarian responses will remain a priority given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate and man-made disasters. Any increases will depend on the outcome of the current ODA reprioritisation review.</p><p>The UK has allocated £21 million so far to support the priorities set out in the Government of Bangladesh's Preparedness and Response plan. This includes more than £7 million to support national health systems and £3 million through UNDP to reach more than 2 million of the poorest people. More than £11 million has been allocated to existing UN and NGO partners to prepare for COVID-19 and maintain critical humanitarian services in the Rohingya refugee camps.</p><p>DFID and Unilever are collaborating on a mass global handwashing campaign, which will run across TV, radio, print and social media to help change people’s behaviour in countries across Africa and Asia, including Bangladesh.</p>