Information on the Solomon Islands earthquake
Many have heard/read in the media about the earthquake on 8/12/9/2016 that affected the Solomon Islands. a tsunami warning was declared and later withdrawn.
The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale. Already on Dec. 9, 2016, the Solomon Islands Red Cross ensured that relief supplies were delivered to the affected regions. Despite all this, many buildings were partially or completely destroyed. a child was killed.
The hardest hit island is Kirakira, read the report in the Solomon Star:Solomon Star Kirakira
Read more about the earthquake here:Report Solomon Star
The epicenter is shown on the map
Drinking water shortage in the north of the Solomon Islands
In the north of the Solomon Islands there is a terrible drought due to El Niño. The Western Provinces are particularly affected, namely Gizo Island with the second largest hospital (150 beds) in the Solomon Islands.
Read ABC Australia 's article on this, as well as all the updated articles on the individual hospitals.
News about the drinking water project
Not even 2 weeks have passed and already there is more news to report.
Die Non Profit Organisation DAISI® = Doctors Assisting In Solomon Islands ist dermassen von dem Trinkwasserprojekt überzeugt, dass sie auf ihrer Webseite über das Trinkwasserprojekt berichten. In addition, they really wanted me to be a member of the organization - I was very happy to agree.
On 05.04.2016, Dr. Des Soares told me on the phone that he is now a member of DAISI®. He was approached and was very happy to agree. With Des Soares, DAISI® gains a highly qualified orthopedic specialist who trains doctors in collaboration with Dr. Hermann Obleri in Honiara.
Drinking water project
The implementation of the project continues to make huge progress. John Nell from Trunz Sustainable Water Systems Australia was in the Solomon Islands for 10 days in March and of course also in Gizo. Thanks to the fact that Des Soares was in Honiara at the same time, he was able to set up everything essential with John. I'm too far away for that.
The system TWM1 will be installed in the new hospital - details about the system you can read here TWM1
In order for the system to be used reasonably, 4-5 water pipes with the corresponding taps are connected to the system. This way, hospital staff, patients, relatives and also the residents of Gizo can get pure, clean drinking water.
In the basement of the hospital is a very large room where several, so-called water bubbles with a total capacity of 1 million liters of water will be installed. These "bubbles" can supply the hospital with fresh water - via the TWM1 device - for 10 days in an emergency situation.
Another step is that around the hospital water tanks with a capacity of 20,000 L are filled with water from the hospital kitchen, and then also get pure drinking water through the device.
There is also 1 fresh water source with a water pipe but no tap at the prison, which is right next to the old hospital. Without a tap, the spring water now just flows into the sea. With a tank that collects the water, even the village can be supplied with fresh water.
An example of how it was solved in another place. To the left of the orange water tank is the TWM1 unit. A water tank at the right edge of the picture.
On March 11, 2016, John Nell wrote in an email that the TWM1 plant can be commissioned in mid to late April 2016 at the latest.
1. a suitable place for the TWM1 system could be found on the first floor of the hospital
2. stainless steel faucets and pipes are currently being manufactured at a local company. John Nell will take these to Gizo in April.
3. the TWM1 plant will be sent by air to Honiara in April and then by ship to Gizo.
4. the TWM1 system will be installed and commissioned in mid - to late April.
On 04.04.2016 Mrs. Andrea Trunz wrote in a mail that the schedule can be kept for the most part.
(...)John informed me that he will get the info / order out to us early next week. My colleague in the office will then follow up on the settlement and keep me informed.
On the same day(night of 4/5/2016 ) I received an email from John Nell defining the next goals so I can adjust the schedule:
1. stainless water basins and faucets for the plant are completed.
2. the Trunz plant incl. the necessary accessories will be sent to Honiara by air freight in the coming weeks
3. the goal is to have the plant in operation at the beginning of May
Status drinking water project
My expectations for the implementation of the drinking water project were totally exceeded.
On behalf of the people of the Solomon Islands, a big thank you goes to the patrons of the drinking water project.
While I was still in the Solomon Islands, initiatives were taken by my interlocutors there, new ideas were developed and offers were made from the official side for the affected hospitals and people.
All details can be read in the individual articles.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of the Solomon Islands, whose unshakeable trust in me gives me the motivation to continue every day.
I am happy about the e-mails reporting how grateful everyone is that not just one stone, but many stones have been set rolling.
Of course, there are also beautiful moments that I have captured on photos.
Dive with me into the island world of the South Seas.
Official meeting WHO Honiara
My meeting with Audrey Aumura exceeded all my modest expectations.
Audrey is downright overwhelmed with what has gotten rolling with the drinking water project.
With the documents on the technical details, I was able to explain to her in my own words how the system works for Gizo Hospital. She asked me if I had already submitted it to the Ministry - no, I don't know who.
Then, using the photos of Fiji, I explained to her how the Emergency Kit from Trunz works.
All of a sudden she was very excited and shouted: "That's it, that's what we need from the WHO for all the islands to alleviate the greatest drinking water emergency". I was then speechless. With the available fund, tens of such devices can be purchased.
But that's not all. I had taken a copy of my fictitious business case for malaria control, which I had created during my studies, to the meeting. Audrey was completely blown away. That would be the hammer and must be passed on immediately to the WHO and the Ministry. Again, she sees a solution for malaria control in the Solomon Islands.
I did not expect such a successful meeting.
I look forward to seeing more of "my" drinking water project and fictional business case soon.
Official Meeting Japanese Embassy Honiara
The conversation at the Japanese Embassy with Koji Yamaguchi and Keiko Nakamura was very satisfactory.
After all the pleasantries were exchanged, I explained the rationale behind the Gizo Hospital drinking water project. This was duly appreciated positively.
Unfortunately, no further funds can be released from the Grass-Root Project. Sanitation and clean drinking water must be organized throughout the Solomon Islands.
I described the situation with the missing toilets in an emergency and lo and behold - solution in sight. Bureaucracy must be maintained, so a brief project plan should be prepared and sent to Yamaguchi-san. In addition, he wants Chris Leve Head Infection Control at Gizo Hospital in the Grass-Root project.
Who would have thought that?
When the drinking water system is installed at Gizo Hospital, they both want to fly there and see everything on site.
Honiara 2 years after the natural disaster
On April 5, 2014, part of Honiara and surrounding regions were devastated by a massive spring tide, followed within 24 hours by an earthquake and tsunami.
Of the approximately 60,000 inhabitants, 200 people, including many children, lost their lives. According to official figures, this left 36,000 people homeless in one fell swoop.
International aid organizations are still taking care of these people today. Not all of them have their own homes again and have to continue living in emergency shelters.
In the post picture gallery Honiara some photos about it.
Preparations Official meetings in Honiara
Preparations for the official meetings have been completed.
Since Gregory Jilini Medical Director for Gizo is still on Gizo, the interview with him will take place on 12/1/16 at Gizo Hospital. He is my direct contact with Gizo and the staff at the hospital.
Thanks to Maxine Whittaker, Professor of International and Tropical Health and Co-Director WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Information Systems, I meet Audrey Aumua from WHO in Honiara on 1/20/16. Audrey works closely with the Ministry of Health on behalf of WHO. She is very interested in the Trunz drinking water system.
More information at the University of Queensland and WHO Western Pacific Region.
On January 20, I will be received at the Embassy of Japan by Koji Yamaguchi, Coordinator for Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots and Human Security Projects. I will tell him about the drinking water project that has come about thanks to patrons. Since he is responsible for a large project - Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects - I very much hope that support will be promised from his side.
Humanitarian mission in the Solomon Islands
What does humanitarian intervention mean? There is only one sentence for this:
A humanitarian mission is concerned with alleviating human need.
Where are the Solomon Islands?
The Solomon Islands, or Solomon Islands, are one of the larger island states in the South Pacific with 992 islands, marked in red on the globe
Hospitals have been established on 4 major islands in the Solomon Islands.
Guadacanal - Honiara: National Referral Hospital (NRH) - 350 beds - main hospital of the Solomon Islands
Gizo - hospital with 150 beds
Munda - hospital with 40 beds
Malaita - hospital with 100 beds
In addition, on many small and small islands are established wards, which are cared for by one or more nurses independently.
Review
On April 5, 2014, a spring tide, earthquake, and tsunami severely devastated the capital city of Honiara (population about 60,000) within 24 hours.
Around 36,000 people were made homeless in one fell swoop, and more than 200 people, many of them children, lost their lives.
This natural disaster completely destroyed part of the hospital and the drinking water supply of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.
Diseases such as polio (polio), abdominal pyhus (cholera), leprosy and a measles epidemic broke out in the tent camps and emergency shelters set up for the homeless inhabitants after the disaster.
Cholera spread rapidly, so that even the hospital staff was not spared and the hospital in Honiara had to be closed for several months!
On the islands further away from Guadacanal, no one could know that there was a natural disaster - there is no telephone, radio or television. Thus, sick and injured islanders, who spent days or weeks traveling by canoe, faced a closed hospital.
A disaster for the population!
This was the deciding point for me to completely re-plan my 2014 vacation that I wanted to spend in Australia and fly to Honiara for a week during my stay in Australia. It certainly couldn't be worse than my first deployment, or so I thought.
My goal
Initiate a continuous drinking water supply for the hospitals and all islands.