Ethiopian coffee-making, an African drum performance, Persian delicacies and other activities by Brisbane’s refugee communities were part of today’s 21st anniversary celebrations of Refugee Complex Care Clinic (MRCCC).
More than 100 people attended today’s celebrations including recipients of the service as well as doctors and clinicians who volunteer their time to ensure all people in Queensland have equal access to high quality healthcare.
MRCCC provides health care at no cost to those seeking asylum who do not have Medicare and have complex healthcare needs.
Additionally, every year more than 900 patients are assisted by the Mater Integrated Refugee Health Service – a Qld Health funded service which delivers health care to people on arrival from a refugee background.
This week is National Refugee Week (18-24 June), and this year also marks the 21st anniversary of the MRCCC’s foundation at Mater’s South Brisbane health campus.
MRCCC was established in 2002 and is the longest continuing clinic of its kind in Australia. The service offers specialised primary health care including complex case management for people seeking asylum, treatment, specialist referrals, and is a secondary consultation service for general practices.
Dedicated staff service patients from more than 67 countries including Papua New Guinea Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.
Mater Refugee Health Service Director Donata Sackey said the service had been responsive to a changing global crisis, including COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and the Afghanistan evacuation.
Ms Sackey said MRCCC and Mater Foundation support people who are seeking asylum and do not have access to Medicare, by partnering with many donors and philanthropic organisations including Nudgee Trust, Muslim Charitable Foundation, Ukrainian Community of Queensland Inc, Tzu Chi Foundation, to provide essential pathology, pharmacy and radiology services at no cost to patients.
“From its inception, the clinic has been and continues to be an expression of these Mater values,” Ms Sackey said.
“The clinic is committed to empowering people to live better lives through improved health and wellbeing.”
Ukrainian Community of Qld Inc Vice President Adam Miljenovic said he was thankful for the ongoing partnership with Mater Refugee Health Service which had provided care to hundreds of displaced people from Ukraine.
“Mater’s compassion in understanding the health needs of displaced Ukrainians is critical at a time when their whole lives have been thrown into chaos and they are trying to adapt to a new country,” Mr Miljenovic said.