We hear so much about ‘refugees’ in the news because there is currently an unprecedented number of people – over 68.5 million at the moment – fleeing their homes due to violence, abuse, and persecution. Inevitably these people flee to places which are safe and provide protection.

When Australia signed the Refugee Convention in 1954, we became one of those places. When the Vietnam War ended in the 1970s, Australia stepped in to settle over 90,000 Vietnamese refugees. These people are now part of the fabric of Australian society. One – Hieu Van Le – is now the Governor of South Australia.

Recent governments, however, have changed. In 2001, we opened two camps outside of Australia to detain asylum seekers while their circumstances are reviewed – a policy known as ‘offshore processing’. These camps are in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, where Australian laws and healthcare do not apply. There is also currently no limit to how long a person might be held there.

It is a controversial policy which has cost us billions of dollars over the years, despite providing no real improvement in national security. It has also led to a dramatic decline in health outcomes, with twelve people having now died in the camps – mostly from suicide or preventable causes such as infection. Many point out that it violates the treaties we have signed, and has led to Australia being condemned on the international stage.

This is why medical students have been putting pressure on politicians to #changethepolicy. Just this year, strong advocacy for the health of refugees allowed the Medivac bill was passed, which allows doctors to evacuate sick people from these offshore centres to Australia for treatment.

As future medical professionals it is our job to speak out when the health of vulnerable people is being affected. That’s why we need to vote this election with global health on our minds.

#VoteGlobalHealth

AMSA Crossing Borders 2019
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