Mexican student in NZ refused Tamiflu

A Mexican student who is flying home tonight says two Auckland doctors have refused to sell him the anti-virus medicine Tamiflu.

Enrique Shelim Espinosa Montanez has studied English at the University of Auckland for the last eight months and is going back to Mexico where over 150 people are reported to have died of the swine flu so far.

Mr Montanez said both his mother, who is a doctor in Mexico, and the Mexican Embassy recommended he buy some Tamiflu medicine before leaving New Zealand because stocks are running low in Mexico.

However, Charge d'Affaires at the Mexican Embassy in Wellington, Luis Enrique Franco, said that was not the case.

He said Mexican nationals returning home were not being recommended to buy the Tamiflu medicine in New Zealand.

Mr Montanez said he has seen two doctors in Auckland and both have refused to sell him the medicine.

He said one of the doctors was "nasty" and said that because he was "not paying tax" and "not supporting the system", he would not be sold the medicine.

But Mr Montanez said he has spent thousands of dollars in New Zealand and believes he has a right to buy Tamiflu medicine.

"I am asking for one box for me, I'm not asking for ten boxes," Mr Montanez said.

He said he is nervous about returning to Mexico and does not have much faith in the health system there.

Tamiflu from Middlemore Hospital has been released to the Regional Public Health Service to treat people who have come into contact with the Rangitoto College students who have tested positive for swine flu.

People who have recently arrived from the US and Mexico with flu-like symptoms are being assessed by medical staff and given Tamiflu, according to a written statement released by The Ministry of Health.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service has so far not returned phone calls regarding Mr Montanez's case.