An asylum-seeker who set himself on fire to protest against Australia's immigration detention laws on Nauru went 10 hours before being medicated for his burns, his wife has claimed.

Omid Masoumali died in Brisbane on Friday two days after being airlifted off the island where he doused himself in petrol and set himself alight in front of UNHCR officials to protest against conditions at the processing centre.

The 23-year-old's widow Nana claims he was forced to spend up to ten hours after the incident waiting for an air ambulance and was not given morphine despite suffering excruciating burns to most of his body.

Omid Masoumali, who died in Brisbane after setting himself on fire in a detention camp in Nauru, went hours without pain relief, his wife has claimed.

Sydney-based Dr Barri Phatarfod, who spoke with the widow via an interpreter after his death, told Daily Mail Australia she was 'distraught' by her late husband's treatment.

'When he was still in hospital on Nauru it seemed he had been intubated but clearly he didn't have any morphine - there's a video of him racing around.

'I spoke with his wife when he'd arrived in Brisbane late on Thursday. He'd already spent 12 or 27 hours on Nauru (after the incident) despite having his injuries on Wednesday.

Mr Masoumali, 23, was airlifted to a Brisbane hospital on Thursday but died the following day.

'She said he was swollen and unrecognisable, that doctors were telling her he was at one point brain dead.'

It is not clear how long officials waited after Mr Masoumali had set himself on fire before phoning for an air ambulance.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection did not respond to Daily Mail Australia's request for comment on Monday.

A candlelight vigil was held in Mr Masoumali's memory in Sydney on Saturday, with signs displayed saying 'Killed by detention on Nauru. Close the camps now'

Shocking footage of the moment Omid set himself on fire in protest of Australia's detention laws emerged last week (above)

It is understood an air ambulance was requested from Queensland based company Care Flight but Dr Phatarfod alleges the company had difficulty finding a pilot to operate it.

Slamming the conditions at the detention camp, she said: 'Nauru is a six hour flight from Austraia, in order for them to be evacuated then you need to put the call in.

'At the absolute earliest it would have taken 12 hours. You simply can't put 700 people that far away, children, young kids.

'The camps are grossly inadequate for anything other than the most basic of procedures. There is no intensive care unit let alone a burns unit. It's hopelessly ill-equipped.'

On Saturday a vigil was held for Mr Masoumali outside Sydney's Town Hall where members of the Refugee Action Coaltiion pleaded for those being held on Nauru to be brought to Australia.

Five people have attempted suicide at the detention camp in the last 24 hours, said the Australian Refugee Action Coalition.

The man was heard screaming 'I can't take it anymore' before he set himself alight in front of other detainees

Their attempts coincided with a visit from the UNHCR refugee agency visits the island.

It comes after the decision by the Papua New Guinean government that Australia's detention centre on Manus Island, which houses more than 900 asylum seekers, was operating illegally.

Mr Masoumali's shocking act was filmed by a fellow immigrant last week. In the footage he could be heard shouting: 'This is how tired we are, this action will prove how exhausted we are.

'I can not take it anymore,' according to a witness who spoke to Fairfax.

He lay on the ground until being ushered to a medical facility on Wednesday. Further footage showed him running around frantically while awaiting treatment.

Mr Masoumali arrived in Brisbane by air ambulance on Thursday morning and died on Friday afternoon.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection issued this statement shortly afterwards: 'The man was taken to Republic of Nauru Hospital for medical treatment by the Nauruan authorities.

'He was then transferred to Australia by air ambulance for medical treatment. The man passed away this afternoon in a Brisbane hospital.

'The department expresses its sympathies to his wife, family and friends.'

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said an immediate medical evacuation has been requested on Wednesday.

'He is in a very, very serious condition and his outlook is not good at all,' he said.

Peter Dutton said he sympathises with the people detained on Nauru, acknowledging they are in a 'very desperate situation', but confirmed Australia will show no leniency when it comes to border security

Refugee groups claim four other people previously tried to self-harm by swallowing washing powder over the weekend.

Iranian women, Marziyeh Faghih, 28, and Amineh Shajira, 34, have also been missing since Sunday. It is feared that they may have disappeared at sea after trying to flee the island.

Police on Nauru also arrested a 38-year-old Iranian refugee last week after he splashed himself with petrol and tried to set himself alight.

The string of protests come as Australia's policy of detaining and settling refugees trying to reach the country in foreign nations comes under new pressure.

Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on that country's Manus Island was illegal on Tuesday, with the government confirming shortly after that the centre will be closed.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement on Wednesday that the centre is unconstitutional and would be shut down as soon as Australia makes arrangements for the refugees held there.

'Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers currently held at the regional processing centre,' Mr O'Neill said.

Loani Henao, counsel for the PNG opposition leader told Sky News, that the two governments will have to work together to relocate the refugees.

'It effectively means both governments must take steps to effectively shut down the Manus Island detention centre,' he said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement on Wednesday that the centre is unconstitutional and would be shut down as soon as Australia makes arrangements for the refugees held there

Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on that country's Manus Island was illegal on Tuesday. Pictured Manus Island

Despite international outcry, Mr Dutton has reiterated the government's tough stance on asylum seekers who tried to enter Australia illegally.

He said that while they are in a 'very desperate situation', those who try to gain access to Australia by boat will never be allowed to settle in the country.

'The Government's policy remains absolute and that is that we are not going to allow people to settle in our country if they've sought to come here illegally by boat,' Mr Dutton said on Wednesday.

'We don't want advocates saying to people who are on Nauru or Manus... that if you don't engage somehow you'll come to Australia.'

He has urged 'well intentioned' refugee advocates not to deliver false hope to the populations detained overseas.

'It doesn't matter what others are saying to you, it doesn't matter what people from Australia who are sending you social media messages are saying, you will not ever settle in Australia,' he said.

'That has been the absolute determination of this Government from day one.'

He confirmed incident occurred while officials from the United Nations refugee agency were on the island but had no advice about whether there was a link between the two.

The Nauruan government have warned others to 'refrain' from shocking protests of this nature, adding there is 'no value in such behaviour'



