(MENAFN)Australia's main medical association demanded on Saturday the government to allow independent doctors and other health experts to help more than 400 asylum seekers living in a recently closed detention center in Papua New Guinea.

Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) are trying to shut down the Australian-run Manus Island Center where the asylum seekers have been languishing for the past 18 days, and the United Nations describes the situation as a "looming humanitarian crisis."

Refugees have been left without sufficient food, clean water, power or medical care, after Australia shut down access to the center with staff, including doctors, leaving the place.

Members of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) voted unanimously on Saturday to push the government to give access to the center so doctors could assess the men's health, and help them out.

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