About us
New Zealand accepts 750 ‘quota’ refugees annually, who arrive in groups of approximately 125 individuals six times each year. Additionally New Zealand accepts up to 300 people under the Refugee Family Support Category plus people who seek asylum as refugees or protected persons, assessed in accordance with the criteria for refugee status set out in article 1 A (2) of the 1951 Refugee Convention and other human rights instruments. The 750 quota refugees are accommodated at Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre (MRRC) on arrival and stay there for a six week orientation. The MRRC has been receiving quota refugees since 1979.
The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) is a mainstream provider of public health services in the Auckland region. ARPHS itself is sited within the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) organisation. ARPHS provides a range of Refugee Health Services to the Auckland region. This includes a medical clinic at MRRC, which provides a medical screening and referral service for ‘quota’ refugees and asylum seekers detained at MRRC. They also provide medical screening for those asylum seekers not detained and living in the community. There is a part-time general practitioner at the centre providing primary care during their stay at MRRC.
There are five different organisations on the MRRC site.
- Refugee Branch of the New Zealand Immigration Service: This government agency owns and runs MRRC, selects the ‘quota’ refugees, and provides them with appropriate documentation.
- Refugee Services: This Non Government Organisation (NGO) provides social services for the ‘quota’ refugees only, arranging such things as housing and banking, with the assistance of a trained volunteer support group.
- Refugees as Survivors (RAS): A torture/trauma counselling service, available to ‘quota’ refugees and detained asylum seekers.
- The Centre for Refugee Education, AUT University: providers of education and New Zealand orientation programme.
- Medical clinic: The clinic provides medical screening for ‘quota’ refugees and all asylum seekers and also primary care for ‘quota’ refugees and detained asylum seekers at MRRC.
The medical screening involves history, physical examination and investigations such as urine, stool, blood tests, Mantoux and chest x-ray. The Refugee Health Service (RHS) screening tool has evolved over time in response to developments in medical knowledge, expert advice and changes in the prevalence of certain conditions amongst refugee populations. Additional tests are done when needed. The doctors at the medical clinic treat what conditions they can and refer others to the specialist clinics.
RHSS Screening Protocol is available on request please email here.
