A South African man – Darius Lubbe – has died in the US after arriving in the country as a refugee just two months ago.
According to reports, Lubbe died of complications from a triple bypass heart surgery.
REFUGEE DIES AFTER HEART SURGERY
Darius Lubbe, a father of three, died in the US following a triple-bypass heart surgery. The South African refugee settled in California with his wife and children.
His death was confirmed by US political analyst Chris Wyatt on his YouTube account.
According to Wyatt, Lubbe was scheduled to have his procedure done in July in South Africa. However, he took up the refugee resettlement programme, opting to have major surgery in the US instead.
This is devastating for a family that has just arrived here as refugees. Please pray for them.
Wyatt appealed to the public to send food and gas money to the family, who are already struggling to get on their feet and pay their rent.
SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT IN THE US
According to Amerikaners, the US’s Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labour Act ensures that emergency rooms treat all patients, including refugees and undocumented individuals, without requiring proof of insurance or citizenship.
Urgent care centres and federally qualified health care centres also serve refugees, often with multilingual support.
South African refugees are eligible for Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), a federal program that provides free healthcare, including emergency care, for up to 12 months after arrival.
RMA covers ER visits, ambulance services, and urgent care with no co-pays, similar to Medicaid.
WHAT HAPPENS TO A REFUGEE WHO DIES IN THE US?
If a refugee dies in the US, their family can seek permission to have their body repatriated to South Africa. However, this is a costly and lengthy procedure, and given the sensitivity of the refugee programme, it is unlikely to be an option.
NGOs and resettlement agencies contracted to the Refugee Admissions Program for South Africans (USRAP), as well as community crowdfunding initiatives, are likely to financially contribute towards the funeral expenses
As Darius Lubbe was settled in the state of California, if his next of kin – his wife – is unable to cover the costs, the county may contract local mortuaries to cover a direct cremation or a basic direct burial.
