Vanuatu
Disasters
- Tropical Cyclone Donna - May 2017
- Pacific: Dengue Outbreak - Oct 2016
- Tropical Cyclone Zena - Apr 2016
- Tropical Cyclone Winston - Feb 2016
- Pacific: Drought - 2015-2017
- Tropical Cyclone Pam - Mar 2015
- Tropical Cyclone Lusi - Mar 2014
- Tropical Cyclone Jasmine - Feb 2012
- Cyclone Yasi - Jan 2011
- Vanuatu: Tropical Cyclone Vania - Jan 2011
This update informs the latest progress of the operation.
There have been no further changes to the strategy or Plan of Action since the issue of Operations Update no. 1 in June 2017. All emergency response activities and distributions have now been completed in the Banks Islands, Malekula, Santo and the Torres Islands. A multi-province lessons learned workshop was also held in Santo in early July.
The following syndromes have been flagged:
- Acute Fever and Rash: French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands
Other updates
Dengue
American Samoa: As of 17 August 2017, there have been 182 confirmed cases, dengue serotype-2 is in circulation. Source: American Samoa Department of Health
The main purpose of the Working Group is to improve tsunami warning and mitigation services and information sharing for the PICT’s.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)- Pacific Tsunami Warning Systems (PTWS) Working Group on Tsunami Warning and Mitigation for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT’s) has successfully completed its 5th regional meeting that was held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 7th to the 9th of August.
Suva, Fiji 18 August 2017
Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day brings the world together to rally support for people affected by humanitarian crisis and pay tribute to humanitarian workers who help them. World Humanitarian Day is a day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as part of a Swedishsponsored GA Resolution A/63/L.49.
ABSTRACT
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The following syndromes have been flagged:
- Acute Fever and Rash:Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands
- Prolonged fever: Kiribati
Other updates
Influenza
- Australia is experiencing its worst ever flu season. There have been more than 70,000 cases reported. Experts are advising individuals to get immunized, if they have not been, to help prevent further cases. Source: Media
The following syndromes have been flagged:
Acute Fever and Rash:Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia
Other updates
Influenza A(H7N9) – human infection
- On 11, 14 and 21 July 2017 the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of three individual laboratory- confirmed cases of human infection with avian Infleunza A(H7N9) virus in China. All three cases reported to have exposure to a live poultry market. Source: WHO
Today I announce two new initiatives to combat disease and improve nutrition in the Pacific.
The Australian Government will invest $7.7 million in innovative pilot programs targeting mosquito-borne diseases in Fiji, Vanuatu and Kiribati. Dengue is an insidious virus that emerges quickly when the conditions are right and in its severe form, it can be fatal. In Fiji, Vanuatu and Kiribati, over 30,000 people have been infected in the last decade.
Tafea Province, Vanuatu - Five weather stations in Vanuatu are now enjoying the Automated Weather System (AWS), a new weather recording unit which will benefit the country. The weather stations have switched to the new automated system from the manual system, to address the issue of data inconsistencies.
PORT VILA, VANUATU (10 August 2017) — The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors is providing $8.2 million in total additional financing to continue the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and climate-proofing of roads affected by Cyclone Pam.
The additional funding consists of a $4.1 million loan and a $4.1 million grant from ADB’s Ordinary Capital Resources and the Asian Development Fund, respectively. The Government of Vanuatu is also contributing $1.2 million in the project.
Epi is the latest island to be provided climate proof buildings for the use of government departments and communities. The construction of the building is part of a UNDP-supported, GEF-LDCF funded project, **_"Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP),"_** which is working to build resilience through improved infrastructure, sustained livelihoods, and increased food production.
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) though the Ministry of Climate Change continues to strengthen Vanuatu capacity in Emergency Operations against catastrophic events in our Provinces. Beginning June this year, The European Union through the Secretariat of the Pacific Communities (SPC) initiates a project to fund 3 Provincial Emergency Operational Centres under NDMO for coordinating activities before, during and after disasters in Santo-Luganiville (Sanma Province), Lakatoro (Malampa Province) and Saratamata-East Ambae (Penama Province).
The Asia-Pacific region is one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world, with frequently occurring natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical storms, flooding, landslides and volcanic eruptions affecting millions of people every year.
The Minister of Climate Change launched in its compound the 9 Port Vila Tsunami Sirens on the 3rd of August 2017. The government of Japan through the World Bank funded the 3-year project known as Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (MDRR) that aims to identify urban hazard areas in Vanuatu and strengthen resources to increase preparedness toward Tsunami events. The launching event, marking the MDRR project completion, was attended by NGOS, Private Sectors, The Lord Mayor, Shefa Province Representative, Ministry of Climate Change staff and other government officers.
Port Vila, 2 August 2017: The Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources and its partners, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), United National Children’s Fund (UNICEF) together with ADRA Vanuatu, today handed over the completed water supply system to the community of Lamap on the south eastern tip of Malekula Island, Vanuatu.
Editorial
Talofa from SPREP!
July was a busy month in the climate change calendar, and it was also a month when new scientific evidence was brought to the attention of Pacific Leaders during the Fiji Climate Change Champion’s meeting in Suva.
The following syndromes have been flagged:
- Acute Fever and Rash: French Polynesia, Solomon Islands
- Prolonged fever: Marshall Islands
Other updates
Meningococcal disease
Port Vila, 27 July 2017: The Government of Vanuatu, with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), announced today the selected participants who will take part in the first phase of the Vanuatu drone trial in August.
Remotely Piloted Systems (RPAS), commonly known as drones, are being trialled for the first time in the Pacific to test the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of drones to deliver lifesaving vaccines to inaccessible remote communities in Vanuatu.
Since the year 2000, disasters have been responsible for the loss of one million lives.
As one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid organisations, CARE is one of the first to respond and the last to leave when disaster strikes. But there’s also a lot of work that we do preparing communities for disaster, to reduce their impact.
