Minutes
Subject:
Pacific Humanitarian Team meeting on TC Pam in Vanuatu, including update on Tuvalu, Kiribati and
Solomon Islands
Date:
Wednesday 1 April 2015
Location:
ESCAP conference room, Level 5, Kadavu House, 414 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji
Attendees:
See attendance list (page 5)
Time:
1400 – 1600 (Suva time)
No.
Agenda Item and Minutes
1.
Welcome – Dominic Leong (OCHA)
 Dominic is joining OCHA ROP from OCHA New York for six weeks to support regional coordination.
 Welcome and introductions by participants.
2.
Humanitarian Coordinator update – Osnat Lubrani
 Harmonized assessment teams traveled to affected islands on 1 April and will identify residual humanitarian
priorities. A second round will go out next week.
 There has been good cooperation by clusters to get assessments underway. The assessment information is
needed to feed into a revised Flash Appeal or Response Plan, and will be used to vet projects.
 The PDNA team will begin working out of the PM’s office shortly, using existing data and assessments, and
applying a rigorous methodology.
 Goods are arriving in the islands, but capacity for distribution across islands varies. There are some gaps
and bottlenecks at the provincial level.
 Distributions should be based on beneficiary needs, but some blanket distributions are taking place due to
sensitivities on equal distribution. Govt needs to manage expectations and adjust policy on blanket
distributions.
 FAO said it is important to build sufficient time into the assessment process, to ensure adequate planning for
clusters to feed into the revised Flash Appeal or Response Plan.
 Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, UNDAC team leader, will leave Vanuatu next week. Charles Bernimolin from
OCHA HQ will travel to Vanuatu next week to support ongoing operations and the HC. HC will return to
Vanuatu next week.
 It is important that the transition from UNDAC to surge staff goes smoothly, as it has taken time to build trust
with the Government and it needs to be maintained.
 A ‘lessons learned’ exercise, which is supported by the Government, should be conducted in the coming
weeks. This could also feed into the World Humanitarian Summit consultations.
3.
Health and nutrition cluster – Rokho Kim, WHO
 Four cases of leptospirosis at PV hospital – two deceased. Two cases were infected prior to cyclone; one
deceased. Two additional cases were infected following the cyclone; one deceased. Dogs and rats carry the
disease in their urine.
 Vanuatu Ministry of Health has monitoring surveillance in place. No other significant outbreaks in evacuation
centres or other areas.
 Eight Foreign Medical Teams (FMTs) and two military medical teams in-country working across 3 provinces:
Shefa, Tafea and Malampa. Four FMTs awaiting registration and deployment.
 Short deployments of medical teams is an issue. Government would prefer teams stay longer.
 Have enough medical supplies from UNICEF, WHO and donors. Can cover 150,000 people for 3 months.
 In affected areas, 55 out of 70 health facilities have been assessed (including hospitals, health centres, and
dispensaries; excludes aid posts). Of those, 43 sustained some degree of damage (29 with limited damage
only).
 Shelter cluster assisting with temporary shelters in health facilities.
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
Health Cluster collaborating with WASH cluster to ensure health facilities have access to safe water and to
deliver public health messaging on safe water and sanitation.
4.
WASH cluster – Marc Overmars, UNICEF
 Needs assessments – not getting enough data from MIRA. Lot of underdevelopment issues in water and
sanitation. WASH assessment teams are using mobile phones to map assessments. Working with OCHA
and UNDAC to ensure WASH overlays are mapped to needs. Information management officer (IMO) will be
deployed next week to assist cluster.
 Assessments are ongoing at the provincial level. Will mobilise a consultant to take part in the PDNA.
 Have mobilised a lot of supplies and are working with defence forces to get supplies from different partners.
Huge supply order on its way through CERF. Distributing hygiene kits, WASH kits, soap etc. through NGOs
that are part of WASH cluster. Other elements added – filtration units, nomads. Distribution plan and
distribution tracker available.
 The system is currently working because the military is still there. But need a lessons learned on the
movement of goods and the prioritization of supplies.
 Cluster coordinator to be deployed and funded by DFID – will strengthen information sharing and cluster
monitoring.
 Financing for the WASH cluster is good overall as NGOs have mobilised their own funding, but there may still
be gaps. Could use more funds for implementation.
 Need to transition to recovery. World Bank would like to play a key role.
 WASH has developed indicators that will be monitored.
 Good collaboration with Health cluster.
5.
Food security cluster – Emma Fitzpatrick, FAO
 Cluster is using assessment process agreed to a year ago and trained on. Planning to have full food security
cluster assessment ready by 21 April. Have over 300 volunteers working with FSAC.
 FAO has someone on the PDNA team. A lot of assessments coming through.
 Needs: animal welfare and fishing gear. Moving towards recovery.
 Gaps: Distribution points having challenges. Over 180,000 people have received food rations, but amount is
scaling down. Roughly a third targeted for next three months.
 Daily brief of food security cluster has reduced to three times a week. Minutes posted on web and circulated
via email.
 IMO going to Vanuatu for two months initially from 10 April. Regional cluster coordinator position established
and will be in Vanuatu for 2-3 weeks from 10 April.
 Using volunteers for distributions, but need people at various distribution points to report on what has been
sent out. Partners have different ways of reporting, which is posing a challenge.
6.
Education cluster – Simon Molendijk, UNICEF
 Working on more in-depth data collection with MOE.
 Found that 180 classrooms destroyed and 75 classrooms severely damaged – 8,700 children affected
 Providing supplies and resources. Compiling impacts on curriculum resources. Expect a full review on what
is needed. Student books and teachers guidelines are damaged.
 Have identified a school supply focal point to effectively distribute materials to affected schools.
 Orientation training for psychosocial support first aid to be supported by Protection cluster.
 Response plan with cluster members to be finalized this week.
 UNESCO has been liaising with UNICEF - keen to support the needs of secondary schools.
 FAO said school feeding programme may be needed.
7.
Protection cluster – Kate Gordon, UNHCR
 Sporadic reports of SGBV. More homeless people and the need for shelter. Children from boarding schools
coming back to Port Vila because of lack of food. Fourteen schools in the islands with no lighting.
 Informal settlement issues – UN Habitat is managing.
 37 people transported from Maewo Island to Port Vila – joined 20 other people who fled the island. NDMO is
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No.
Agenda Item and Minutes
supporting provision of shelter and food. Will build transitional shelter for evacuees once conditions have
improved.
 Disability group offered guidelines on planning of emergency response activities.
 UN Women have been holding meetings with authorities calling for the opening of Port Vila market to support
women’s livelihoods. Selling produce at Marobi markets from 2 April.
 UNICEF and Save the Children have been offered an orientation workshop on PSS. FA and Protection to
harmonise PSS support in communities and school environments.
 People living with disabilities are not routinely being included in the planning and delivery of assistance.
 Deployments: UNFPA until 10 April, Pip Ross until 17 April, Krissie Hayes conducting assessments until 17
April. UNFPA have signed an agreement with RedR Australia who will be able to supply an IMO. Oxfam are
bringing an IMO also to support the cluster. Looking for gender analysis support.
 Need to transition back to the national clusters which are led by the Dept of Women, Save and CARE.
8.
Shelter – Petra MacKay, IFRC
 Global cluster assessment team now on the ground. Working on detailed assessments.
 Cluster coordinator, Peter Lawther, has been replaced by Tom Bamford
9.
Early Recovery – Moortaza Jiwanji, UNDP
 Working with Department of National Authority which covers councils etc. across affected area. There are
needs starting to emerge – e.g. small-scale community infrastructure and informal economy markets. There
is still a gap in understanding what the impacts are and what we can do to assist.
 Have a team joining the different clusters – looking at 8 areas. Will feed into the overall assessment.
 Started to formulate a program. Have $470,000 dollars to start addressing needs, such as debris clearance
in remote areas and livelihood initiatives. Reestablishing small scale community infrastructure.
 Different organizations supporting cluster – UN women, UN habitat and ILO.
 Karen Bernard in-country to support assessments.
 PDNA – World Bank, SPC, EU and UNDP are supporting the PM’s office. Starting PDNA on 6 April until the
21 April. Drawing on existing assessments.
 UNHCR thanked UNDP for releasing Krissie Hayes from Tonga.
 UNESCO has received a request from the Govt to support PDNA for the cultural sector. PDNA will be led by
Govt through the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, with expert assistance from Australia, SPC and UNESCO.
10.
Australia update – John Morley, DFAT
 Australian medical team and urban search and rescue team attended to 1,341 patients and over 20 medical
evacuations from outer islands. Unloaded supplies at Erromango Island.
 Air force assets continue to deliver food assistance to islands, including Tanna and Ambrym.
 Continued challenges of getting things in and out of Brisbane. Priorities are set by others.
 DFAT to find out how long military assets will be in-country.
11.
NZ update – Tu Tangi, MFAT
 New Zealand’s humanitarian assistance to date is worth NZ$3.5 million.
 $1m as at 23 March: $500,000 towards Tuvalu for provision of medical supplies, help with agriculture and
food security, and cover transport costs (fuel for patrol boat, etc). $500,000 towards Vanuatu which includes
the provision of a NZ USAR team (10 pax). Transport response personnel from Fiji to Vanuatu on C-130
(RFMF engineers, health professionals, and supplies).
 $1.5m as at 15 March: Up to $1m for NGOs under the NZ Disaster Relief Partnership mechanism. Up to
$500,000 for requests from Vanuatu govt for supplies and TA.
 $1m as at 14 March: $200,000 ($50,000 each) from HOM Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tuvalu.
$800,000 for: Relief supplies from NZ govt stores, along with Red Cross supplies via C-130 (worth
$200,000); NGOs in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands to replenish supplies in-country (up to $400,000); Other
support from NZ govt (up to $200,000) like, deployment of MCDEM officials for Vanuatu, redeployment of
Power Smart equipment in Tuvalu for clean-up, TA and health supplies from NZ.
 Military assets: Deployment of P3 for surveillance, Deployment of C-130 carrying 8 personnel (4 MFAT, 1
NZDF, 1 Health, 1 Police, 1 NZRC) and essential supplies (generators, chainsaw packs, large tarps, jerry
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No.
Agenda Item and Minutes
cans, and first aid kits) to Vanuatu, Deployment of the Canterbury to Vanuatu.
 No known length of time on military engagement. HMNZ Canterbury will be there longer than aircraft.
12.
EU update – Thierry Catteau, EU
 ECHO provided 1 million Euros.
 Two contracts have been signed to re-establish comms with Télécoms Sans Frontières.
 Provided funding for the PDNA in partnership with the World Bank.
 In discussion for recovery phase support – additional funding available. Will be decided based on the
outcomes of the PDNA.
13.
Japan update – Shohei Matsuura, JICA
 Emergency medical team left last week.
 Looking at mid- to long-term recovery. Three experts deploying in April to observe the PDNA process so that
JICA can support affected areas and realign existing projects.
14.
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) update – Paula Holland, SPC
 Three staff supporting fisheries, coordination and NDMO.
 Team of technicians going out to work on physical assessments. Will do a data collation and simulation
mapping exercise.
15.
Security – Trent Inness, UNDSS
 Concerns about increased theft of food and housing material in Port Vila.
16.
ICRC – Jelica Bogdanovic
 6,000 views of Restoring Family Links webpage: http://familylinks.icrc.org/vanuatu
 30 cases of missing persons in Vanuatu. ARC delegate working on cases and working with Télécoms Sans
Frontières to establish comms in remote islands.
 Most people seeking info on loved ones in Vanuatu from overseas.
17.
Other affected countries in Pacific
Tuvalu
 Third situation report should go out by the end of this week. Slow to get info from the ground and signoff by
the Govt. MacDonald Kadzatsa is assisting with information management.
 Continuing with the delivery of relief supplies. Facing issues with poor weather last week so could not offload
some relief supplies.
 DFAT said the Samoan patrol boat returned to Samoa with the understanding that there was less work. One
ACC deployee left yesterday. Looking at how we can now assist early recovery phase.
 DFAT is in discussions with NZ on restarting agriculture. Need for an informal early recovery cluster to be
established.
 Limited detail on the WASH assessment.
 SPC said agriculture rep is conducting food assessments and says situation has improved.
 Elections were held yesterday.
 Health clinic is unserviceable. WHO said previous sitrep reported influenza outbreak in schools, but was
denied by Minister. Some reports of diarrhea. Tuvalu has requested one more health kit.
 Red Cross delegate has returned, however IFRC appeal includes an operations manager for two months.
Red Cross needs to be included recovery efforts.
 DFAT is also considering deploying another person.
Kiribati
 Limited information. UNICEF reports no information for the past three days.
18.
Typhoon Maysak in FSM
 OCHA is monitoring the situation and is in close contact with IOM on the ground and the Government. IOM
has eight staff in Chuuk and five staff in Yap.
 Missed the main Yap islands but did heavily affect two atolls (Fais, Ulithi). Initial estimates of 1,000 to 1,200
people affected. Had a couple of days to prepare so casualties are hopefully low. Govt is reporting 5 deaths
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No.
Agenda Item and Minutes
in Chuuk State, but wind speeds were much lower than in Yap.
 Need to map out what we have (supplies, personnel) in FSM, and in the region, in case the PHT gets a
request from the Govt to respond.
 US would be expected to provide assistance. In order for the US to respond, an emergency declaration must
be made by the FSM President and a request for assistance sent to the UN. The declaration is expected to
be made by the President today or tomorrow for Yap State. Already declared for Chuuk State.
 Send email to Dominic on prepositioned supplies and personnel.
 WHO is communicating with MOH. WHO Head of Office is on leave, but other staff are providing info.
 IFRC have a sub-regional office in the North Pacific, including a disaster management delegate. Micronesia
RC have chapters on each island and prepositioned stocks.
 SPC have a DRM person in FSM.
 FAO has contacted Ministry contact, but have not heard anything back.
 IOM is issuing daily situation updates. Will circulate to PHT mailing lists.
 Media reports stating 95 per cent of homes have been destroyed in Chuuk seem overstated.
 Information from Yap remains limited. Five assessment teams headed out yesterday with IOM staff, to
affected areas in Chuuk. USAID to carry out assessments in Yap state. Expect more details info in the next
few days.
 OCHA has a small UNDAC team on standby. Will wait until initial assessment data comes in from Chuuk and
Yap.
19.
AOB
 OCHA Situation reports on Vanuatu – now 3 times a week. From next week it will be once a week.
 NDMO sitreps issued ad-hoc.
Actions
No.
Action Item
Actioned By
1.
Send prepositioned stocks and personnel available in FSM to Dominic: leongd@un.org
All
2.
Find out length of military deployment and use of assets
FRANZ
3.
Circulate timeline of harmonized assessments and development of Response Plan
OCHA
4.
NEXT MEETING: Wed 8 April at 2pm in ESCAP conference room
All
Attendees
#
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10.
11.
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13.
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15.
Name
Alang Lee
Anne Rehagen
Bernhard Barth (via Skype)
Dominic Leong
Elisabeth McLeod
Emma Fitzpatrick
Isabelle Austin
Jelica Bogdanovic
John Morley
Kate Gordon (via Skype)
Moortaza Jiwanji
Osnat Lubrani
Patrina Fong
Paula Holland
Petra Mackay
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Organization
WHO
UN Women
UN-Habitat
UNOCHA
UNOCHA
FAO / Food Security Cluster
UNICEF
ICRC
DFAT
UNHCR
UNDP
UN RC / HC
OHCHR
SPC
IFRC (Shelter cluster)
Email
leea@wpro.who.int
anne.rehagen@unwomen.org
Bernhard.Barth@unhabitat.org
leongd@un.org
mcleode@un.org
fitzpatrick.emma@gmail.com
iaustin@unicef.org
jbogdanovic@icrc.org
john.morley@dfat.gov.au
gordonc@unhcr.org
moortaza.jiwanji@undp.org
osnat.lubrani@one.un.org,
patrina.fong@one.un.org
paulah@spc.int
Petra.mackay@ifrc.org
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16.
17.
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20.
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23.
Priya Marwah
Rajendra Prasad
Rokho Kim
Shohei Matsuura
Simon Molendijk
Thierry Catteau
Trent Inness
Tu Tangi
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UNFPA
UNESCO
WHO (Health & Nutrition Cluster)
JICA / SPC
UNICEF (Education Cluster)
EU
UNDSS
MFAT
marwah@unfpa.org
r.prasad@unesco.org
kimr@who.int
shoheim@spc.int
sjmolendijk@unicef.org
thierry.catteau@eeas.europa.eu
Trent.Inness@undss.org
Tu.Tangi@mfat.govt.nz
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