To the Editor: We read with interest the recent perspective written by doctors from International Health and Medical Services (IHMS).1 They state that regular visits to Nauru by specialists, including paediatricians, deliver care “commensurate with that in Australian communities”. The IHMS doctors also state that “We encourage informed commentary and debate among the public and the medical profession”. As specialist paediatricians who recently visited Nauru for IHMS, we disagree with both these statements.
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- 1. Parrish M, Renshaw A, Duncombe GJ, et al. Antenatal care for asylum seekers. Med J Aust 2015; 202: 12. <MJA full text>
- 2. Corbett EJM, Gunasekera H, Maycock A, Isaacs D. Australia's treatment of refugee and asylum seeker children: the views of Australian paediatricians. Med J Aust 2014; 201: 393-398. <MJA full text>
- 3. Vasek L. Mandatory detention of asylum-seekers like child abuse, AMA tells inquiry. The Australian 2011; 26 Sep. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/mandatory-detention-of-asylum-seekers-like-child-abuse-ama-tells-inquiry/story-fn9hm1gu-1226146845917 (accessed Feb 2015).
- 4. Australian Human Rights Commission. The forgotten children: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 2014. Sydney: AHRC, 2014. https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/forgotten_children_2014.pdf (accessed Feb 2015).
- 5. Moss P. Review into recent allegations relating to conditions and circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru. Final report. Canberra: Department of Immigration and Border Protection, 2015. https://www.immi.gov.au/about/dept-info/_files/review-conditions-circumstances-nauru.pdf (accessed May 2015).
- 6. Australia's peak health groups call for all children to be released from immigration detention [joint statement]. March 2015. https://www.racp.edu.au/index.cfm?objectid=25E35458-AFF1-2B86-9FFC8A4D6507F5CD (accessed Apr 2015).
We provided specialist paediatric services in Nauru. All proceeds were donated to the Children's Hospital at Westmead refugee clinic.