Success Story - Department Plays a Key Role in Life-saving Partnership

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) played a key role in this year's life-saving medical treatment in Australia for an East Timorese infant born with a hole in her heart.

Baby Maria Soares was brought to Australia by the Rotary Programme, Reaching Overseas with Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC) because East Timor did not have the medical expertise or technology to complete the delicate heart operations needed by the infant.

ROMAC organised the flights, and worked closely with the department's Dili-based Principal Migration Officer, Haddon Wright, to facilitate visa arrangements.

Haddon said he and his staff worked with ROMAC to ensure that critical documentation and medical checks were initiated well ahead of the expected travel time. Staff were aware that Maria could have had life-threatening complications at any time.

‘It was a case of pulling out all stops to get the visa processed as quickly as possible,’ Haddon said.

‘The visa was granted in 20 minutes.’

Maria and her mother arrived in Australia in April, and Maria was cleared to return to East Timor in late August after treatment at Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick.

The clearance for Maria to return home was announced at a ceremony recognising the department's help with more than 300 children over 18 years.

ROMAC Chairman Ed Chenery said the department's staff in Australia and overseas were always ready to give their time and care to ensure deadlines could be met.

ROMAC partnerships involve 68 eminent Australian surgeons, Rotary volunteers, hospital teams and people from organisations like DIAC.

These partnerships helped a record 38 young people from 20 developing countries in the region in 2005-06. They aim to help more than 40 children in 2006-07.

Last year the partnerships built on $650 000 worth of Rotary donations to deliver health care worth about $3 million and brought many benefits to children.

DIAC issues about 5000 visas a year to patients and carers to come to Australia for special medical treatment.

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