Man waiting on a kidney transplant ordered home

A young man who needs a kidney transplant  is being ordered to return to Fiji on Friday, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Dr Rajen Prasad.

“This despite the fact that he is here legally and he can’t have the operation in Fiji.

“Sanil Kumar, a skilled tradesman, hasn’t been given the chance to have the operation in New Zealand at his own expense.

“Is the New Zealand Immigration system now so heartless that even when there is no cost to the state, it is still insisting on returning a young man to almost certain death in a few months. To make matters worse the dialysis treatment he has been receiving in New Zealand is not available in Fiji and what is available is very expensive and a long way from his family home.

“Sanil Kumar has a kidney donor in his family and his community is busy raising the $130,000 needed for his transplant operation in New Zealand. His family is meeting all his expenses and he is not seeking any resources from the government. His only request is not to be sent home on Friday and be given a grace period for him to continue receiving dialysis treatment in New Zealand. He also wants his support team to complete fund raising so that the operation can be performed.

“A sensible immigration system would understand that for Sanil Kumar this is a life and death issue and act accordingly.                             

“Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse should be more responsive to such special cases and he should demonstrate that New Zealand will be there in the hour of need for some of our vulnerable neighbours,” said Dr Prasad.

“It is ironic that while our system demonstrates its lack of humanity in sad cases like this, it opens its arms to the wealthy with its Investor category applicants.”

—