AMA leads calls to remove asylum seeker children from Nauru
The AMA welcomes the news that eleven children were removed from Nauru on Monday, but more still needs to be done.
“We've been calling for a long period of time for the removal of these children to the Australian mainland or to other appropriate health facilities to ensure their adequate wellbeing,” AMA President Dr Tony Bartone said in an interview on ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday.
“We want the children and their families off the island with appropriate medical attention, as long as the medical facilities are of the grade that we expect. We've called for an independent panel to assure in the oversight of both the facilities and the transfer.”
Dr Bartone has been leading the call to remove all children from off-shore detention centres in light of the reports of their deteriorating health. Dr Bartone wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and all Members of Parliament demanding that the Government move asylum seeker children and their families off Nauru to more appropriate settings for their deteriorating physical and mental health and wellbeing.
The Prime Minister initially dismissed the AMA’s call, but since being swamped with expressions of outrage from both inside and outside of his own party, he has raised the option of refugees being resettled in New Zealand.
The AMA will continue to pressure Government to provide appropriate, timely health care to refugees and asylum seekers. Read more about it in this AusMed article.
