A dramatic rise in self-harm and suicide attempts after the Australian election has strained the local health system

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Papua New Guinea’s notorious mobile squad – a paramilitary police unit – has been deployed around a Manus Island refugee camp amid a dramatic rise in self-harm and suicide attempts that is reportedly affecting the local health system.

Manus provincial police commander, David Yapu, told Guardian Australia on Monday the mobile squad – whose members have been accused of rapes, murders and other serious human rights abuses – had been dispatched in the wake of escalating tensions following the re-election of Australia’s Coalition government last month.

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“Because of the current situation with a number of attempted suicides in a short period of time we have updated our operations plan to focus on those camps,” Yapu said.

“Meaning their presence at day and night will now be at those camps that the refugees are living in.

“Just to reduce [the self-harm and suicide attempts]. Because … once they see police then things go back normal. Although we have the contracted security Paladin, they will continue unless they see policeman wearing a uniform at the camp. That will change that.”

The election has sparked a mental health crisis among refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island. Last week Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz Adam said at least 31 men had tried to commit suicide since the 18 May election. Guardian Australia understands there was another suicide attempt in the early hours of Monday morning.

The crisis is reportedly affecting local health services. Despite the Australian government paying $21.5m to a company known as Pacific International Hospital (PIH) to provide healthcare for refugees on the island, those on Manus have told Guardian Australia that the local hospital, Lorengau general hospital, has been handling many of the self-harm and suicide cases.

The PIH-operated transit centre clinic in Lorengau employs 13 healthcare professionals including three medical officers, three nurses, one paramedic, an after-hours GP and one after-hours nurse. The five mental health workers include just one psychiatrist.

But Yapu confirmed to Guardian Australia that in serious cases patients were often initially sent to Lorengau.

“Sometimes they rush them to Lorengau general hospital and after that, maybe they say no and refer [them] back to PIH,” he said.

“But in most cases because of the critical situation they are in they are rushed to Lorengau. That is the situation they are currently facing.”

The former Manus Island MP Ronnie Knight has accused PIH of referring patients to Lorengau general and criticised the company and the Australian government for using local PNG resources.

“Why do local staff on minimum wages have to use precious resources on people who are harming themselves while the contractor PIH is paid millions and acts as a referral service,” Knight told SBS.

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“The main anger from my people is simply that in our culture if you are responsible for such people you must care for them.”

While self-harm and suicide attempts have occurred regularly throughout the offshore detention period, those on Manus say there is an increased sense of desperation and hopelessness among the island’s refugee population.

It has also prompted heightened tensions on the island.

In a Facebook post responding to an article about the increased mental health crisis on the island last week, Yapu wrote: “What more can our police officers do.”

“Attempts suicides, self-harm are beyond our control and part of system of depression related to long-term offshore detention, unknown future and families living away from them and result to severe mental illness.”

• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org



