Australia receives tens of thousands of refugees and humanitarian entrants each year — people who have experienced forced displacement, often preceded by conflict, persecution, and violence. The health needs of refugees are significant and distinct from the general population: higher rates of mental health conditions, infectious disease prevalence requiring screening, trauma and torture histories, disrupted chronic disease management, and barriers to accessing mainstream services. Grant funding supports the specialist services, community health workers, and culturally safe approaches that help refugees access the care they need.
Scale
Health needs of refugees and asylum seekers
Refugees often have significant health needs on arrival:
- Infectious disease: tuberculosis (TB), viral hepatitis (B and C), parasites, vaccine-preventable diseases
- Mental health: PTSD, depression, anxiety, complex trauma — from persecution, torture, and displacement
- Torture and trauma: physical and psychological consequences of torture are common
- Chronic disease: unmanaged diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions that deteriorated during displacement
- Reproductive health: pregnancy complications, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), sexual violence history
- Oral health: often severely affected by lack of dental care during displacement
- Child developmental needs: developmental delays, educational gaps
Asylum seekers and health access
Asylum seekers face significant additional barriers:
- Many are excluded from Medicare (particularly those on certain bridging visas)
- Fear of reporting due to visa status
- Financial barriers to private healthcare
- No access to public dental or mental health
Department of Home Affairs
Department of Health
State health departments
Services Australia
STARTTS (Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)
NSW's primary torture and trauma service — significant philanthropic component.
Foundation House
Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture — research, training, and services.
Melaleuca Refugee Centre
NT-based refugee services.
Refugee Council of Australia
Advocacy and coordination.
The Ian Potter Foundation
Refugee and humanitarian programme funding.
Lottoland Foundation and others
Various philanthropic funders for refugee health and settlement.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Medical care for asylum seekers in detention.
Refugee health screening
On-arrival and early health screening for refugees:
- TB testing and treatment
- Hepatitis B and C testing and linkage to care
- Parasitic infection screening
- Vaccination catch-up (many arrive incompletely vaccinated)
- Developmental screening for children
- Mental health screening
- Sexual and reproductive health assessment
Mental health for refugees
PTSD, depression, anxiety, and complex trauma are common:
- Torture and trauma counselling (specialist services)
- Culturally appropriate mental health treatment
- Community-based mental health (community health workers, peers)
- Bilingual mental health workers
- EMDR and trauma-focused therapy with interpreter support
Torture and trauma services
Australia has specialist torture and trauma services in each state:
- Individual counselling and group therapy
- Physiotherapy for torture-related physical injuries
- Complementary therapies
- Social support and community connection
- Advocacy and case coordination
Community health workers and bilingual workers
Bilingual community health workers bridge cultural and language gaps:
- Health system navigation
- Health education in community languages
- Culturally appropriate chronic disease management support
- Maternal health support
Oral health
Refugees have high unmet oral health needs — dental disease is pervasive:
- Refugee dental programmes (state-based)
- Community dental outreach
- Dental training including refugee health component
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)
FGM/C is practised in communities from East and West Africa, parts of the Middle East:
- Specialist clinical services (gynaecology, obstetrics)
- Community education
- Training for healthcare providers
- Survivor support
Asylum seeker health
Asylum seekers (often without Medicare) have specific needs:
- Free or low-cost primary care clinics
- Mental health services
- Emergency medical care
- Advocacy for healthcare rights
Child and adolescent refugee health
Children who have experienced displacement, disrupted education, and trauma:
- Developmental screening and intervention
- School-based support
- Paediatric refugee health clinics
- Adolescent mental health (many unaccompanied minors)
Chronic disease management
Conditions interrupted by displacement:
- Diabetes management
- Hypertension and cardiovascular disease
- Maternal health continuity
Health services for refugees must be culturally safe:
- Interpreter services (professional interpreters, not family members)
- Culturally adapted health education materials
- Community liaison and cultural mediation
- Culturally specific understanding of mental health and illness
- Awareness of traditional health beliefs and practices
- Gender concordance where culturally required
Cultural safety
Generic health services rarely meet refugee health needs — cultural safety, language access, and community trust are prerequisites. Applications demonstrating genuine cultural competence and community involvement are compelling.
Asylum seeker exclusion
Many asylum seekers are excluded from Medicare, creating a significant access crisis. Applications providing primary care to this population fill a genuine gap not otherwise met by the health system.
Mental health priority
The mental health needs of refugees are acute and chronic — specialist torture and trauma services are well-evidenced and well-aligned with refugee health funder priorities.
Community health workers
Bilingual community health workers are one of the most cost-effective interventions for refugee health — trusted, culturally connected, and effective at reaching communities that mainstream services miss.
Tahua's grants management platform supports humanitarian health funders and refugee service organisations — with programme participant tracking, health outcome measurement, cultural safety data, and the reporting tools that help refugee health funders demonstrate their investment in culturally safe, equitable care for people seeking protection in Australia.