What is the Medical Evacuation Response Group (MERG)?

The Medical Evacuation Response Group (MERG) is a group of specialist refugee and asylum seeker support organisations who work in partnership to facilitate the medical evacuation of critically ill refugees and asylum seekers held in offshore detention. Also referred to as the Medevac Group, MERG was formed to streamline applications for medical transfer after the passing of the much anticipated Medevac bill in early 2019. 

The Medical Evacuation Response Group (MERG) partners include; 

• Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), 
• the Refugee Council of Australia,
• Asylum Seekers Centre Sydney, 
• Human Rights Law Centre, 
• Refugee Legal, 
• National Justice Project, 
• Refugee Advice and Casework Service, 
• Amnesty International Australia and more. 

The ASRC is committed to working with the entire Australian refugee sector to get sick refugees and asylum seekers the medical treatment they need. 

Independent of the Australian, Papua New Guinean and Nauruan Governments, the Medevac Group is working to ensure that critically sick people are evacuated to Australia for specialist medical care which is unavailable on Nauru or Manus Island.

What the Medical Evacuation Response Group (MERG) is doing for Medevac

MERG was formed to bring together specialist doctors, counsellors, lawyers and caseworkers to simplify the application process for medical evacuation for critically ill refugees and people seeking asylum.

Before the passing of the Medevac Bill and subsequent formation of the Medevac Group, sick refugees were waiting an average of 2 years (in some cases up to 5 years) for transfer to Australia for medical treatment. The Medevac Law ensures there is no longer political interference with the medical assessment and application process to evacuate people on the grounds of urgent medical transfer. 

 The Medevac bill and work of the Medevac group is saving lives.

Donate NOW because lives are at risk and Medevac can save them.