CANBERRA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- More than 5000 doctors have called for the Australian Senate to prevent the government from repealing the medevac law.
The law, which was passed through Parliament despite government opposition in February, gives doctors the power to have asylum seekers being held in offshore detention transferred to Australia for medical treatment.
According to the report of the national public television network SBS on Wednesday, doctors are urging independent Senator Jacqui Lambie to use her casting vote in the Senate to protect the current system.
"Asylum seekers and refugees must be able to receive a proper level of healthcare as determined by qualified medical professionals," Kate Walker, chair of the the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Refugee Health Network, said in a media release.
"What this legislation does is give doctors, not administrators, greater power in determining whether people on Manus Island or Nauru require transfer to Australia for medical treatment.
"At least 200 patients have been transferred for urgent medical care using the medevac legislation.
"That is how it should be -- doctors making a judgment on what type of care is needed."
The doctors' plea is warning against the government's push to repeal medevac legislation.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton strongly opposes the legislation saying it weakens national border protection by limiting his discretionary powers.
