COVID19 Public Dialogue set for tomorrow in Buka
The ABG Department of Health will have a public dialogue on Wednesday 17 March 2021 at the Bel Isi Park in Buka Town, in an effort to update the public on the current COVID19 situation on Bougainville.
Health Secretary and Chairman of the Bougainville Public Health Committee, Clement Totavun, announced this today in a media conference.
He said that this will be an opportunity for the public to receive first-hand information from the Bougainvillea Health Team, and also provide people a chance to ask questions and clear any misinformation.
“There will be a panel of people within the health sector to discuss COVID19 with our people,” he said.
“We are doing this in support of the work we are doing, and in partnership with the Yumi Wan program.”
The panel will consist of the ABG Health Minister, ABG Health Secretary, clinical team, infection control team and the quarantine team.
Secretary Totavun also explained that so far Bougainville has reported a total of 95 positive cases since February 23, 2021, however, 30 of these cases have fully recovered and have been cleared by the clinical health team.
He said while the number of positive cases has had a surge between February 25 and March 04, 2021, there has actually been a decline in reported positive cases after March 04 2021.
However, this decline is a result of people not coming forward for testing to check their status if they have come into contact with a positive case or are displaying symptoms as a result of possible community transmission.
He said currently there is the very real possibility of community transmission; however the exact extent is not clear to the Health Team.
“We have been monitoring the trend to understand the epidemic curve within Bougainville,” he explained.
Secretary Totavun called on the public to strictly adhere to the public health measures as it is the best means of containing the transmission.
“COVID19 is real, it is here already and we need to work together. Help us to help you so we can control COVID19 in our region,” he appealed.
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