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Senate Committee To Probe Detainee Death

Faysal Ishak Ahmed died after daily requests for medical care.
Faysal Ishak Ahmed died on December 24 after being airlifted from the Manus Island detention centre.
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Faysal Ishak Ahmed died on December 24 after being airlifted from the Manus Island detention centre.

CANBERRA -- He died on Christmas Eve after a "fall and seizure" nine days after formally requesting better health care as a refugee detained on Manus Island.

Now the circumstances, treatment, processes and procedures surrounding the death of Sudanese refugee Faysal Ishak Ahmed are to be investigated by a Senate committee.

Labor asks Senate Committee to examine and report on Faysal Ishak Ahmed's death. #Nauru#Manushttps://t.co/phsokJaofr

— Shayne Neumann (@ShayneNeumannMP) January 15, 2017

Refugee advocates and fellow detainees claim the 27-year-old had been requesting medical help within in the Manus Island processing centre on a daily basis for symptoms including chest pains, fainting and collapsing, but had allegedly been told he was "fine."

He filed a formal complaint, but nine days later, on Christmas Eve, Ahmed collapsed and died from head injuries despite being urgently air-lifted to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

The Opposition's immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann has asked the Labor chair of legal and constitutional affairs references committee Louise Pratt to examine the 27-year-old's death. The committee is already looking into allegations of abuse of asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.

"Given media reports suggesting asylum seekers on Manus Island had requested better medical treatment for Mr Ahmed and the ongoing cases of alleged neglect, abuse and self-harm at the centre, I believe this matter falls within the committee's remit," Neumann said in a statement.

"This inquiry was established to investigate matters of this nature and the reporting time frame of March 30, 2017 provides a suitable window that will allow for thorough investigation of Mr Ahmed's death."

Health provider, International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) has rejected allegations of negligence.

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