10 Nov 2015

Asylum seeker baby boom on Nauru

1:52 pm on 10 November 2015

Four babies have been born to asylum seeker and refugee mothers on Nauru over the past three weeks.

The barren and bankrupt island state of the Republic of Nauru awaits the arrival of refugees, 11 September 2001. Just 25 square kilometres, Nauru has been devastated by phosphate mining which once made the Micronesians the second wealthiest people per capita on earth. AFP PHOTO/Torsten BLACKWOOD

The Republic of Nauru Photo: AFP

The Nauru government says the babies were delivered at the hospital on the island, two of them by caesarean.

It has stressed the babies are healthy and weighed in at between 3.1 and 3.5 kilos.

Two more women are expected to give birth this month.

Last week the Royal Australasian College of Physicians said mothers likely to deliver a baby needing more than the most basic level of care should be transferred to Australia.

The Nauru hospital is being rebuilt after being damaged by fire with the help of US$8 million in Australian aid.

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