Vanuatu

Four of the new cases are reported on Santo, one on Efate and the other on Pentecost.

Health Promotions Vanuatu said of the 26 cases, the majority are from Santo.

Four clinically diagnosed cases were reported from Vila Central Hospital (VCH) and one reported death in February was referred from Erromango.

These cases were reported after 212 leptospirosis rapid diagnostic tests were done at VCH and the Northern Provincial Hospital (NPH) with results showing 26 positives and 86 negatives so far.

Dr Ly will be working closely with another ophthalmologist Dr Johnson Kasso, who oversees the eye programme in the country.

The Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand, said, “Dr Ly is a graduate of the Pacific Eye Institute, a Foundation-sponsored program that provides postgraduate training on the region’s unique needs in terms of eye care.”

“Former Head of Department for Ophthalmology in Timor Leste, Dr Ly has collaborated with several Pacific ophthalmologists and nurses in the area. He has also been to several outreach programs for eye care.”

The draw will take place at 1pm NZT at the OFC Home of Football – Te Kahu o Kiwa in Auckland, New Zealand.

OFC Competitions Director Chris Kemp will conduct proceedings.

There is no seeding system for this edition of the OFC Champions League so teams will be drawn from a single pot and will be drawn into two groups of four, Group A and Group B with matches to be played in Port Vila and Luganville.

The Government is also assisting Tongan students currently studying in Vanuatu by providing additional allowance to cope with additional expenses due to the cyclones.

A statement from the PM’s Office said the Government had received financial assistance from the Government of Vanuatu following the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai events in 2022 and the Tongan diaspora in Vanuatu also remitted financial assistance channeled through the Ministry of Finance following the HTHH events.

The distribution was conducted by the Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FASC) as part of the recovery project from the devastation sustained from TC Judy and TC Kevin.

The distribution is targeted to provide for 7,850 households in Port Vila.

FASC also confirmed that distribution of emergency relief supplies is to be made to 1,072 households on Efate offshore islands, which started last week.

A total of 21,533 households on Efate will be receiving dry rations.

Ambassador in Vanuatu, Li Minggang, at Port Vila International Airport on Thursday.

China said the supplies, which include medical equipment, are worth more than US$876,000.

They were delivered on a Russian aircraft.

FRANZ, the group comprising donor countries France, Australia, and New Zealand, provided the initial relief supplies following the impact of Cyclones Judy and Kevin on Vanuatu two weeks ago.

More than 30 Fijian military officers are at the venue providing humanitarian support by repairing classrooms which sustained damages.

Platoon Commander for the Vanuatu Assist, Lieutenant Malakai Lakoenailesilesi said they are providing a quick fix in the school and their main priority is for the children to get back to school.

The school was closed after the full verandah was badly damaged from the two consecutive cyclones which hit the country two weeks ago.

The school also confirmed that it is now operating by providing home school packages for the students. 

He has told the Dialogue On Pathways to Transition Away From Just Fossil Fuels being held in Port Vila that science and fact must drive the world forward, not money.

He said such a commission would produce an authoritative evidence base on the impacts of fossil fuels and would inform the phase out that's needed.

Regenvanu said the fossil fuel industry must be held to account for "practically singlehandedly taking the world beyond the goal of staying below 1.5 degrees celsius".

The Minister of Climate Change and Natural Disasters, Ralph Regenvanu, told parliament this on Tuesday when responding to concerns about the ongoing increase in price during times of emergency.

The Daily Post reports MP Johnny Koanapo has recommended that certain goods have their value added tax removed to address the welfare of the people.

Regenvanu said he has already recommended that there should be price controls.

Yonhap News Agency reports Tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin swept across the Pacific country from 1- 03 March, affecting over 80 percent of its population and causing nationwide power outages, according to the ministry.

“The government hopes this assistance will help Vanuatuans affected by the cyclones swiftly return to their daily lives and recover from the damage,” the ministry said

Photo  Vanuatu Red Cross Society/Facebook  Caption: Damage in Port Vila, 4 March 2023