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Some of you at the #DetentionHarmsHealth rally last year might remember a person with a camera present among the masses.
That was award-winning filmmaker Heather Kirkpatrick, producing her second documentary, 'Against Our Oath' - and now, after four years, it is in post-production and near the finishing line. The independent feature-length film exposes the ethical challenges that erupt for doctors as the Australian government over-rides their clinical decisions made for refugee patients. AMSA Crossing Borders features prominently in the discussion.
Watch the trailer here (and see if you can spot any familiar faces!): chuffed.org/project/againstouroath
Follow Against Our Oath on Facebook: Against Our Oath
Make a tax-deductible donation: bit.ly/2DmU26I
AMSA has partnered with Osmosis to provide an extended free trial and exclusive discounts on Osmosis prime for AMSA members nationwide. Osmosis is a leading and rapidly growing medical education platform used by more than 900,000 current and future health professionals as well as members of the public. The platform has a growing library of over 8,000 study questions, 15,000 flashcards and 1,000 videos.
AMSA members can find the discount on: www.amsa.org.au/blog/membership-benefits
Not a member? Sign up today on: www.amsa.org.au/join
== OUT OF THE LOOP: Offshore Processing ==
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
In today's world of instant communication and rapid change, it can be hard to keep up with current affairs. And when you fall behind the discussion, it can feel like there's no place to ask the simple questions. Things like: What is the Medevac bill? Where in Australia is abortion legal? What is the Paris Agreement? Is it illegal to market junk food to kids?
That's why this election period, we're bringing you a series we call 'Out Of The Loop'. Our goal: to bring you up to speed with the most pressing issues in global health, so that you can go to the ballot informed and well-equipped to make a difference.
Out Of The Loop articles will be released every Sunday until the election, here on the AMSA Global Health page. Stay tuned for our first article tomorrow on offshore processing!
#VoteGlobalHealth
From all of us at AMSA Global Health, have a very happy Easter! Stay safe and enjoy a relaxing long weekend 🌏🙂❤️
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