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Doctors establish ‘parallel health system’ for those fleeing Gaza
A network of 500 medical professionals has rallied to rollout free healthcare to refugees unable to access Medicare, creating lifesaving change.
A team of around 500 healthcare professionals is now providing free care to Gazans on temporary visas. (Image: AAP)
‘They don’t have any possessions, they were coming with just the clothes they were wearing, they had no money, no access to documentation.’
For the thousands of Gazans arriving on Australia’s shores, fleeing war-torn homes, this is their reality.
Many have been granted temporary tourist visas to live in Australia, but as they work to rebuild their lives in an unknown country, it is their healthcare which can often take a backseat.
This visa type does not include access to Medicare, and with limited funds, accessing medical help is often simply impossible.
Seeing the situation unfold in real time, Melbourne-based GP Dr Sameera Bhayat knew she needed to help.
She is now part of a team of more than 500 healthcare professionals from across Australia rallying together to offer free medical care to those who would otherwise go without.
‘They had, understandably, endured a lot of traumas and didn’t have access to healthcare in their own area, and we were very concerned that they were arriving to Australia and wouldn’t be able to access healthcare here either,’ Dr Bhayat told newsGP.
‘They came here with both acute and chronic healthcare needs, and there were both physical and mental health concerns.
‘When they first came, they were so overwhelmed by the trauma, and they were scared to speak about what they endured that they initially weren’t reaching out for mental health support, and a lot of the initial healthcare needs were more medical.’
An initiative of the Australian Islamic Medical Association (AIMA), this team consists of GPs, surgeons, allied health professionals, optometrists, ophthalmologists, dentists, nurses, and translators.
Every one of them, giving up their time to help those who have almost nothing, and have fled from the most horrific of environments.
‘We had a lot of support from ophthalmologists because of the phosphorus eye burns that some of them had endured,’ Dr Bhayat said.
‘There were physical traumas, fractures that needed to be addressed, people needing care with dialysis, chronic health needs like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or hypertension.
‘There were children coming in with severe mental health trauma that needed to be addressed.’
The program began late last year when images of the conflict began to appear in Australia.
Watching it unfold, the AIMA members knew they wanted to offer any help they could, and in a matter of weeks, a network of volunteers was formed.
Within it, a small team determined what needed to be done, then a QR code was distributed, allowing healthcare professionals to document their ability to provide the pro bono services.
At the same time, they made a map of where signed-up GPs could be accessed, GPs who spoke other languages identified, and created a series of information sheets.
Within just two weeks, that basic infrastructure was established, allowing people to access care immediately.
‘I had been watching the devastation for the past six weeks just feeling absolutely helpless, and when this opportunity came up and I heard they needed volunteers to assist in coordinating healthcare needs, it was something I didn’t pause to think about,’ Dr Bhayat said.
‘We made videos in both English and Arabic explaining how to access healthcare services, we put up fact sheets and very clearly documented the information because they weren’t familiar with the way healthcare is delivered in Australia.
‘We had a very small timeframe and worked very urgently and efficiently to set up, what we perceive as, a parallel health system because there was no access to primary healthcare or other health services at the time when they arrived.’
Around six months since its creation, hundreds of Gazans have been treated, receiving potentially lifesaving care at no cost.
But the organisation is now calling for urgent Federal Government help, with more Gazans expected to arrive in Australia this year.
Between October last year and February, the Australian Government has already granted 2273 temporary visas for Palestinians and 2415 for Israelis.
Moving forward, many AIMA volunteers want to see the Commonwealth granting this community urgent Medicare access under their visa, to make healthcare a viable option for all.
And while Dr Bhayat has been left saddened by the level of need, she said to be able to give back to those with nothing has been an unforgettable experience.
‘There are a lot of emotions in seeing what’s happening,’ she said.
‘[I’ve been] feeling really helpless but also very grateful for the opportunity to be involved, and very grateful for the incredible volunteers that are able to sacrifice their time and give such incredible care.’
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