International SOS deploys team to Vanuatu

16 March, 2015 – Sydney

International SOS deploys on-the-ground assistance team to Vanuatu

International SOS, the world's leading medical and security services company, has deployed an Incident Response Team to Vanuatu to assist clients on the ground in the wake of Cyclone Pam.

The team, comprising medical, security and logistics specialists, has arrived today to assess the medical and security risks, and evacuation options for expatriates and travellers who are in Vanuatu.

They will also assess the medical support requirements following confirmation of damage to the local medical infrastructure including a hospital in the nation’s capital.

A global client liaison team has been activated to proactively reach out to clients with expatriates and travelling staff known to be in Vanuatu and surrounding island nations including Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Michael Gardner, Regional Managing Director, Australasia said: “Our teams have been working around the clock to provide information and support to clients concerned for the safety of their expatriate and travelling staff, which totals nearly 400 individuals from all over the world.”

“Many of these people are in Vanuatu on humanitarian assignments so in providing assistance we need to consider not only each person’s immediate health and welfare, but the impact of the cyclone’s devastation on their work.”

“There are likely to be shortages of safe drinking water and food, and the risk of diseases including diarrhoea, measles, malaria and dengue fever is heightened. Clients are advised to defer all travel to Vanuatu, and non-essential staff should consider leaving when possible.”

We have set up a crisis management team based in our Sydney Assistance Centre to coordinate our response and have medical and security air evacuation capabilities from Vanuatu in place should there be a requirement

Security Director, Rodger Cook, is part of the Incident Response Team on-the-ground and has reported, “Officials have imposed a curfew in the capital Port Vila since Saturday. Concern is around the outlying areas and communities that face significant delays in receiving assistance due to the damage cause by the cyclone. ”

In addition to providing emergency response, International SOS is closely monitoring the trajectory of the cyclones in the region and their potential impact on other Pacific Island nations vulnerable to severe weather events.

For more information clients can contact any International SOS Assistance Centre.

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