Extract from ABC News
By Erin Semmler and staff
The Australian-born youngest daughter of a Tamil asylum seeker family in immigration detention on Christmas Island has arrived at a Perth hospital after being medically evacuated with a suspected blood infection.
Key points:
- It is believed three-year-old Tharnicaa may have septicaemia
- Family friend Bronwyn Dendle says Tharnicaa has been "extremely sick with temperatures well over 40C"
- The family's lawyer says Tharnicaa has been unwell for 10 days
Three-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan was flown to Western Australia from Christmas Island with her mother, Priya, after being unwell since May 25.
"I am feeling very scared and worried for my little girl," Priya said in a statement from Change.org.
"She is already asking for her papa, it is going to be very hard being away from her dad and sister.
"It is very hard for our family to be separated when our daughter is sick."
It is believed Tharnicaa may have septicaemia.
Tharnicaa, who turns four next week, and her older sister Kopika, were both born in Australia.
Their parents, Priya and Nadesalingam, also known as Nades, came to Australia separately by boat in 2012 and 2013.
The family was taken from its home in Biloela in central Queensland and placed into custody by Australian Border Force officials in 2018 and has been held on Christmas Island since August 2019.
Speaking before Tharnicaa and her mother arrived in Perth late yesterday afternoon, the family's immigration lawyer Carina Ford said the girl's condition had been deteriorating.
"She'd been unwell for about 10 days and it got increasingly worse over the last few days," Ms Ford said.
"Priya, her mother had been bringing that to the attention of the doctors and clearly her temperature did not go down over the weekend.
"So
a decision was made to put her into hospital at Christmas Island but
then as a result it's been considered that it's safer for her to be
transferred to Perth."
In a statement, the Department of Home Affairs said it was aware of the "medical evacuation of a minor from Christmas Island to a hospital in Western Australia".
"The Department and ABF are committed to the welfare of the detainees within Australia’s Immigration Detention network," a spokesperson said.
"Healthcare services for detainees on Christmas Island are broadly comparable with those available within the Australian community under the Australian public health system.
"The ABF facilitates access to nurses, doctors and specialists for all members of the family."
Ms Ford said the Department was yet to provide an update to her team.
"In terms of the family, the family are deeply concerned about it and have been for the last few days.
"It just is another stress that could've been avoided if they weren't in detention."
In
February, the Federal Court upheld a previous ruling relating to the
immigration status of their youngest child, leaving the family in limbo
on Christmas Island.
Lawyers have been calling on the federal government to immediately release them from detention since the latest decision was handed down.
"It should really change something because maybe it might hopefully be a catalyst for having them released from detention," Ms Ford said.
"The case is before the ministers currently to consider so there is no reason that this information is not also information that should be considered."
'Should not be in detention'
Federal opposition Home Affairs Spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said she was concerned for Tharunicaa.
"Her loving parents Nades and Priya and sister Kopi must be so worried," Senator Keneally said.
"A medical emergency and family separation is the last thing they need.
"This family should not be in detention — they should be in their community in Biloela."
'Quite frankly dangerous'
Family friend and supporter Bronwyn Dendle said Tharnicaa had been "extremely sick with temperatures well over 40 degrees" and the family was "very worried".
"We've been really disappointed that Tharnicaa has been so unwell for so long, and was continually dismissed by the doctors connected to the International Health and Medical Services," she said.
"That's very disappointing and quite frankly dangerous.
"We're just really glad now that she's being taken to a major hospital so they can get to the bottom of it. "
Ms Dendle said the situation was frustrating.
"If this family was home in Biloela where they should be, they would have had access to medical care and Priya would have been able to take her child when she knew she needed to go to the hospital, and have got the help she needed," she said.
"She wouldn't have been forced to wait 10 days before we could get her checked over by hospital doctors.
"This family needs to be returned to Biloela — there is no other way forward."
No comments:
Post a Comment