Australian coroner finds death of Iranian asylum seeker preventable

 

Protesters hold placards as they hold a demonstration outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court for Iranian asylum seeker Hamid Khazaei, who died of severe sepsis from a leg infection in the offshore detention centre on Manus Island in 2014, in Brisbane, Australia, July 30, 2018. AAP/Darren England/via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian coroner found on Monday that the death of an Iranian asylum seeker held on a remote Pacific island was preventable and called on the Australian government to put the health of detainees first.

 

Hamid Khazaei's death from severe sepsis from a leg infection was the result of "compounding errors" in health care provided under Australia's offshore immigration detention system, Queensland state coroner Terry Ryan said after an inquest into Khazaei's death.

 

Australia detains such asylum seekers in offshore detention centres, such as those on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru or on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, instead of processing them on the mainland to deter migrants from attempting to reach Australia by boat.

 

The harsh policy has attracted widespread criticism from the United Nations and rights groups but has bipartisan support at home, with immigration a sensitive issue for Australian voters.

 

Khazaei died in a Brisbane hospital in September 2014 after he contracted the infection in the Manus Island detention centre. He had been held at the centre for almost 12 months.

 

"I am satisfied that if Mr. Khazaei's clinical deterioration was recognised and responded to in a timely way at the Manus Island regional processing centre clinic and he was evacuated to Australia within 24 hours of developing severe sepsis, he would have survived," Ryan said in his findings on Khazaei's death.

 

Khazaei was first moved to Port Moresby before being flown to the Queensland capital, Brisbane, but by then nothing could be done to save his life.

 

Ryan said no suitable antibiotic was available at the Manus Island clinic to treat the range of infections commonly found in a tropical setting, while the doctors at Port Moresby did not have the skills to treat Khazaei properly.

 

He said detainees were entitled to care that was the best available and the government needed a new policy that put the clinical needs of detainees first when they required transfers.

 

"We think what has happened in the court today is a big step toward justice," Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish journalist detained by Australia on Manus Island since 2013, said on Twitter.

 

"We ask again that Australia close these prison camps and let us start a new life in freedom," he said.

 

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-30

he shouldn't have tried  to seek asylum and stayed at home and came through the proper channels like so many other people back door entries are wrong

 

2 hours ago, murrinman said:

he shouldn't have tried  to seek asylum and stayed at home and came through the proper channels like so many other people back door entries are wrong

 

What do you think the odds are for someone being persecuted in Iran to be able to obtain a refugee visa and legally depart?

 

 In anycase the man was in Oz government detention, as the OP states the man should have received timely treatment. 

Edited July 30, 20187 yr by simple1

I struggle to find civil words to describe the disgust I have for the manner in which Australian politicians treat refugees. Yes there are a percentage of economic refugees that are queue jumping and pretending to be something else. But the great bulk of refugees that have arrived in Australia are escaping persecution and frankly have a right to use whatever means they can to reach a safe sanctuary. Of greater concern is that the politicians act this way because of the level of bigotry and discrimination of the Australian public in general. A fair go for everyone would seem to have gone.

7 hours ago, murrinman said:

he shouldn't have tried  to seek asylum and stayed at home and came through the proper channels like so many other people back door entries are wrong

 

.. words of an imbecile !! 

  Nice if someone finds your death preventable whilst your still alive, just saying.

Imo due to such an unstable world security wise, a proper vetting of a persons background is paramount in ensuring a nations safety. Surely you have to show some compassion to true refugees but not at the expense of the safety of taxpayers of the affected country. It's almost an impossible situation.

7 hours ago, simple1 said:

What do you think the odds are for someone being persecuted in Iran to be able to obtain a refugee visa and legally depart?

 

 In anycase the man was in Oz government detention, as the OP states the man should have received timely treatment. 

You are probably correct about his ability to obtain a refugee visa in Iran. That said we have no idea

what was his issue. What we do know for certain is he bypassed many countries where he would not

have been persecuted because he wanted Australia. He knew he would be sent to Manus if caught.

His decision. As for his sepsis and subsequent death, I am sure there are plenty of mistakes made in

Australian hospitals as there are in hospitals around the world. Just a mistake and an unfortunate outcome.

8 hours ago, Ulic said:

You are probably correct about his ability to obtain a refugee visa in Iran. That said we have no idea

what was his issue. What we do know for certain is he bypassed many countries where he would not

have been persecuted because he wanted Australia. He knew he would be sent to Manus if caught.

His decision. As for his sepsis and subsequent death, I am sure there are plenty of mistakes made in

Australian hospitals as there are in hospitals around the world. Just a mistake and an unfortunate outcome.

The man was held in detention, there has been other examples for not being transferred to the mainland for treatment in a timely manner due to political eyeball considerations (Dutton is well known for his cruel attitude); very different to misdiagnosis / mistakes made by the medical profession.

 

Please confirm the 'safe' countries 4/5 years ago for those fleeing persecution between Iran and Australia who had lawful processes in-place to support permission for asylum seekers / refugees to work, access to education etc etc

Edited July 30, 20187 yr by simple1

20 hours ago, murrinman said:

he shouldn't have tried  to seek asylum and stayed at home and came through the proper channels like so many other people back door entries are wrong

 

RIP ! unfortunately most illegals these days just fly in lot easier than by people smuggler boats + cheaper, front or back door ? SOS protesters what about Aussie pensioners or if u on newstart give them the same payments as back door immigrants receive and provided with & immigrants who fly in straight on welfare payments same day double the amount paid to aussies pensioners who struggle to make ends meet, many ending up on the streets + farmers living in cars or on the pavements of Australia , Australia is new America of homelessness people now dividing Australians, as u can see by the protest just a handful turn up, look after our own first before you bring in immigrants

Edited July 30, 20187 yr by Mad mick
errors

this power shift was so predictable..now the liability is on the country or countrys who  engage ,could have enaged and should have engaged...

As a previous PM stated ' we will decide who comes into this country and the manner in which they come'. 

Most of the wannabe illegals departed from Indonesia - the world's largest Muslim populated country.  But without the economic hand outs found in the west.  They were already in a place of safety and could have applied for refugee status there.

It always amazes me how these people claim to have nothing but manage to FLY to Indonesia and  have the cash to pay thousands of dollars to people smugglers.

There us a program for illegals to be resettled in Cambodia...... From memory  three took up the offer and I think two have since returned to their country of origin. 

 

They are playing the lefties for mugs.  Thankfully the thinking people see through this. However we can expect the flood of illegals to surge if Labor win the next election.