Papua New Guinea cabinet minister, Tim Masiu, says his South Bougainville electorate needs more information about Covid-19 from the Bougainville Health Department.
Cabinet Minister, Timothy Masiu Photo: Tim Masiu
Bougainville has been hard hit by the recent Covid-19 surge across PNG, with more than 100 cases in the autonomous region.
Earlier this week RNZ Pacific was told people in North Bougainville were ignoring safe practice guidelines but Masiu said plenty of local effort was going toward instilling that message in the south.
He said while the people couldn't be forced to wear masks and socially distance, in Buin assemblies of more than 50 had been banned.
But he said they needed to hear more from health officials in Buka.
"I don't know why, the Health Department, just basically, based in Buka. They are not moving around, they are just in Buka.
"We haven't seen them moving to our region to tell us what is going on and of course bring some new information to us. But I know that Bougainville has recorded over 100 confirmed cases and no deaths."
Masiu said there were unconfirmed reports circulating that two deaths in the Siwai district, near Buin, were due to Covid-19.
He said there had also been some samples sent to Buka for analysis but those results were not yet known.
Masiu recently presented a police rapid response team with a new boat to allow them to patrol the border with Solomon Islands.
There is great concern in Solomon Islands that Bougainvilleans, who cross the border frequently, could bring Covid-19 into the country.
Photo: RNZ Pacific / Johnny Blades