Hospital wants age testing on asylum seekers to be put on hold

asylum seekers july - UDI familyThe Norwegian Department of Immigration (UDI). Photo Norway Today Media

Oslo University Hospital believes that the current methods for determining asylum seekers’ age is not well enough documented, they are therefore asking  UDI put their age analyzes on hold.

The Ministry of Health commissioned the hospital to go through international research methods. They have only found a few studies that they believe is up to standard.

– We have not been able to find out what kind of scientific basis the current practice has been based on, says Truls Simensen, head of department for forensic at Oslo University Hospital (OUS) to NRK.

Radiographs of hands and teeth are the current standard the Norwegian immigration authorities are checking young asylum seekers’ age.

Oslo University Hospital claims that it possible to misse by as much as six years in the way the images are analyzed today.

OUS recommends that Directorate of Immigration (UDI) continues taking x-rays of hands, but that they should wait to analyze them until he hospital have developed a new method.  Which should be clear about three months.

UDI says they have not been able to go trough  the report and will therefore not comment on the matter before Thursday.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today