Tablets, laptops & computers donated to Ministry of Disaster Management to help with damage assessments

50 tablets as well as computers and laptops have been donated by UNDP to the Ministry of Rural, Maritime Development and Disaster Management to help with the gathering of key data from damage assessments conducted after every disaster.

Minister for Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu says the use of tablets in the collation of data from these damage assessments was first introduced during their response for TC Yasa with a partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Seruiratu says for the first time ever, initial damage assessments and detailed damaged assessments for TC Ana were completed within a span of two weeks through the use of these tablets.

He adds they were able to assess 1,644 communities from the four divisions, 31,590 households with the total number people assessed being 163, 488 people.

Seruiratu stresses while the current focus of information management is on damage assessments, the gadgets will also assist in collation of information for development programs for the Ministry.

He says going forward as the Ministry’s technological and human resources capability are gradually strengthened, the Ministry is determined to conduct this exercise independently.