Vanuatu Health Ministry conducts training on hygiene and Covid-19 materials

The trainings covered sanitation and hygiene, neglected tropical disease, and promotional of Covid-19 materials with all community key leaders in the priority of areas in Malekula and Tanna.

The aim was to ensure participants are familiar with the Sanitation and Hygiene Manual Guideline and associated information education and communications material.

It also provided an opportunity to practice the design and the construction standards, the operation and maintenance requirements of each toilet, safety issues in construction and operation of toilets. There was also an opportunity to develop plans for respective responsibilities in preparing and responding to an emergency from a sanitation and hygiene perspective.

Tafea was selected because it is a key area of concern outside of Efate due to its entry port and tourism, which may be at considerable risk of Covid-19 when borders do eventually reopen. Focus on building the capacity of the Provincial Health and Local Administration teams will be key to mitigating this risk.

The Ministry Engineers Without Borders Australia is collaborating with Vanuatu’s Ministry of Health to help establish and roll-out the government’s Sanitation and Hygiene guidelines. Covid-19 amplified this urgency, as well as required updates to the guidelines to specifically address Covid-19. The Australian Volunteer Programme has provided much-needed additional funds to facilitate this work via its Impact Fund, and was complemented by UNICEF and DFAT funds.

These combined funding aim to give provincial government staff the tools needed to share the latest Covid-19 related messages and national sanitation guidelines material, as well as training and awareness sessions with their respective communities.

Photo supplied Caption: Participants at the Train the Trainers workshop on health and hygiene practices, held in Santo.