Coronavirus response: The United Kingdom delivers field hospital to West Africa following UN global call for support
Following a global request by the United Nations for airlift support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom Royal Air Force transported a field hospital from Europe to Accra, Ghana, in coordination with NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC). The United Nations used this mechanism to call for NATO Allies’ help in transporting urgently needed medical items. With commercial flights disrupted and the cost of cargo flights having escalated, this support came at a crucial time.
Responding to the request by the United Nations, a UK Royal Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft flew four rotations to Accra, Ghana on 27 June, 1 July, 2 July and 9 July 2020. The aircraft carried supplies for the construction of a UK aid funded field hospital, amounting to around 130 metric tons of material. The facility will be used for frontline aid workers in the region to help fight the coronavirus pandemic and will have the capacity to care for up to 92 people.
The UK Royal Air Force delivered the cargo on behalf of the World Food Programme (WFP), which is handling infrastructure and logistics for the United Nations.