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GIS for Disaster Risk Management
training completed for Fiji DRM
practitioners
The SOPAC Division of SPC in collaboration with the Ministry of Provincial Development and Disaster
Management and the Fiji Lands Information System Office successfully conducted a basic training workshop
on Geographical Information System (GIS) for Disaster Risk Management from the 12th to the 23rd of March
2012.
The main objective of the training was to provide an overview of how GIS could be used as a tool for Disaster
Risk applications, to support disaster preparedness and response work and also other potential applications.
Participants of the training included
personnel from the National Disaster
Management Office, the Development and
Planning Units of the Commissioners’ Offices,
theMinistry of Health and the Department of
Public Health at the Fiji National University.
The training was important as it contributes
to capacity building activities progressing to
the Fiji Joint National Disaster Management
and Climate National Action Plan supported
by AusAID and managed by the SOPAC
Division.
The workshop was closed by Mrs Unaisi Bera, the National Adviser on Environmental Health from the Ministry
of Health who thanked the NDMO for soliciting support in such capacity building initiatives that will add value
to efforts to prevent epidemics after a disaster. She further added that her team in the district and division
closely collaborate with disaster coordinators to ensure secondary hazards like epidemics are controlled. The
capability to use GIS will enable her team to map areas that lack basic sanitation facilities and provide direct
support to prevent epidemics if the same area is affected by a disaster.
Also at the closing was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Provincial Development and Disaster
Management, Mr Inia Seruiratu, who thanked SOPAC for the timely support and pledged to fully support the
initiative by providing dedicated staff to lead the GIS development in the Ministry. He further reminded the
participants to apply the new skills acquired in their respective offices to increase their capability in managing
disasters effectively.
An Advance GIS Training workshop is scheduled for August 2012 to follow up on skills learned during this
training session. SOPAC will also provide ongoing technical support to participants in their respective projects
in the lead up to the next training session.
AusAID