An Iranian man seeking asylum in Australia has been declared brain dead after an infected cut led to septicaemia, a refugee activist says.
Hamid Kehazaei, 24, had been in a detention centre on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
The Iranian was transferred to the mainland for treatment last week but had a heart attack, the activist said.
Mr Kehazaei’s case follows the death of another Iranian in violence at the same centre in February.
According to the Refugee Action Coalition, Mr Kehazaei cut his foot about two weeks ago. Spokesman Ian Rintoul told media that the wound was very small, but got infected quickly.
Mr Kehazaei sought medical attention a number of times, and by the time he received it “he had to be helped to walk”, said Mr Rintoul.
He was transferred to a hospital in Brisbane last Wednesday, where he subsequently suffered a heart attack.
His family were informed that he had become brain dead on Tuesday, the activist said.
The hospital would appoint a guardian to decide whether life support should be withdrawn, he said, with the young man’s family unlikely to visit because of the airfare cost.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young claimed there was a delay in transferring Mr Kehazaei to the hospital because a request from the medical service provider was denied, reported Fairfax Media.
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