Provincial WASH - In Emergency Coordination Training

A 3-day Provincial Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) — in Emergency Coordination Training in the capital ended yesterday. The workshop was conducted by Mr Jason Snuggs, a technical advisor with the Department of Water Resources (DOWR).

Held from the 24th to 26th of September 2018, the WASH training was for NGOs and Government departments, mainly the Department of Health and DOWR, focusing on improving the team’s coordination of WASH response to an emergency.

The objective was to train all relevant sectors in the WASH cluster to better coordinate their response to emergencies within their respective organizations and departments, and as a whole WASH cluster to ensure effective and efficient response.

Access to WASH includes safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene education.

Established by UNICEF, the WASH team works in over 100 countries worldwide to improve water and sanitation services, as well as basic hygiene practices.

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.

Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water and that is one of the major messages spread by the WASH cluster in times of disaster when coordinating to provide safe and clean water for the victims during an extreme natural event. 

Vanuatu is considered to be one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural hazards.

Comprised of over 80 islands, the country is located on the earthquake-prone “ring of fire” and sits at the centre of the Pacific cyclone belt.

These hazards result in a high frequency of volcanic eruptions, cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, storm surges, coastal flooding, and landslides.

In addition, the country is already experiencing the impacts of climate change. Sea level rise and the increased intensity of extreme events have led to changes in agricultural productivity and water availability.

Therefore, this same WASH – in Emergency Coordination training will be held in all five remaining provinces, TAFEA, TORBA, MALAMPA and SANMA within the next two months.