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Background: A massive emergency programme to fly anti-cholera supplies into disease-stricken India and East Pakistan has swung into action in Britain. Charity organisations, private companies and the British Government have organised mercy flights of tons of supplies -- mainly anti-cholera vaccines in an effort to stem the disease, and desperately-needed saline solution to save those who already have it.

Among supplies that have already left are six tons of vaccine and medical equipment, including a mobile hospital, which were loaded onto a Royal Air Force transport aircraft at Thorney Island today (June 7).

SYNOPSIS: As the cholera death toll in East Pakistan and India mounts towards ten thousand, Britain has put into action a massive emergency programme to fly anti-cholera supplies to the stricken areas.

Top priority goes to vaccines, in an effort to stem the growing tide of cholera, and to saline solution to try and save those who already have it. Victims need about 20 pints of the liquid to replace body fluid lost through intense diarrhoea and vomiting -- otherwise they die a slow and painful death.

In Britain charity organisations, private companies and the Government have all organised mercy flights to airlift tons of these supplies. Britain's Royal Air Force has laid on flights to the stricken areas and the Government has made a contribution of one million pounds (sterling) to a United Nations appeal fund in addition to promising free vaccine, saline solution and syringes.

One such mercy flight, in a Royal Air Force Hercules transport aircraft, left Britain on Monday. It carried six tons of supplies, including a mobile hospital. More R.A.F. airlifts were laid on for Tuesday and Wednesday, and charities have organised other flights on chartered aircraft.