Refugee advocates are calling for the Immigration Minister to act immediately to bring an 11 year old Iranian refugee to Australian for an urgent operation to reset his broken arm.

The 11 year old broke his arm when he fell off his bike on Nauru on 4 May. A cast was put on the arm on 5 May at the Nauruan hospital. But an x-ray two weeks later showed the bones were hopelessly out of alignment (see photo).

The boy is a victim of Australian government policy that provides different levels of care to those who are asylum seekers (and in detention) from those who are found to be refugees and living outside detention on Nauru.

When medical contractor IHMS thought Erfan was an asylum seeker, his parents had been told he would be sent to Australia for an urgent operation to reset his arm. However, when it was discovered that his family were refugees, they were told that Erfan would be treated on Nauru.

Australian doctors have expressed their concerns at the delayed treatment.

The Nauru government has now requested that a “a specialist medical team from Australia be sent to Nauru to treat this boy as soon as possible.”

This is implicit admission that Erfan’s medical treatment has so far been deficient and that the expertise for the necessary operation does not exist on Nauru.

“While providing an Australian medical team to Nauru would be a significant step forward, we have no confidence that Erfan can be properly treated in the conditions that exist on Nauru,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“There are serious questions marks over the risks of the operation itself and perhaps even higher concerns at the post-operative care including the risk of infection and rehabilitation. Hospital conditions are well below anything acceptable in Australia.

“The circumstances of Erfan only highlight the serious lack of medical care available for refugees on Nauru. The fact is that as refugees, they are at a distinct disadvantage, as the Australian government maintains the fiction that Nauru has responsibility for the refugees.”

There are others who need urgent medical care. A 36 year old Iranian female refugee, Tahereh, has been receiving morphine injections for over a year for a back injury suffered when she fell in the showers inside the detention centre.

Now doctors have recommended that she have an MRI – but there is no MRI facility on Nauru. How long is Tahereh expected to suffer?

Another Somali female refugee has had gynaecological problems for months and has an identifiable mass on her ovary but has been left untreated.

“The Minister must act urgently to bring Erfan and the others that need urgent medical help to Australia where they can receive the medical help they need,” said Rintoul.

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713 (photo of x ray and conditions in Nauru hospital attached)

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Category: Press releases