Hundreds Rally in Support of Baby Asha

Hundreds of people have rallied in front of a Brisbane hospital to support doctors who are refusing to discharge a baby to prevent her from being sent back to immigration detention in Nauru.

The 12-month-old girl, known as Baby Asha, was brought to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital after suffering burns when boiling water was accidentally spilled on her while she was in Nauru.

She has since recovered but medical staff at Lady Cilento say they will keep her at the hospital until 'a suitable home environment is identified'.

Refugee Action Council spokesman Mark Gillespie burst into tears when he told the rally on Saturday about how he had met with Asha's father, who was in detention in Brisbane, earlier this week.

'I met a very traumatised man,' Mr Gillespie sobbed.

'His mental health is so shot by what this government has put these people through.'Mr Gillespie said Nauru wasn't suitable for Asha or anyone else in detention on the small Pacific island nation.

'The father told me about insects that come into the tent and make the baby itch and she's got bites all over her,' he said.

'It's no place for a baby, it's obvious.'

Doctors for Refugees spokesman Dr Richard Kidd said the medical staff protecting Asha were standing by their Hippocratic Oath to look after their patients' wellbeing.

'In this case, that means not releasing babies and children in environments where we know they will be harmed,' he said.

'There is overwhelming evidence ... of the terrible harm that is done to babies and children - and adults - in detention, particularly offshore.'

Dr Kidd said the doctors were conflicted, because by keeping Asha at the hospital, they were taking up a bed that could be used by another child, but he insisted they had made the right decision.

The crowd became particularly incensed when Labor MP Terri Butler tried to address the rally.

Chants of 'Shame Labor Shame' drowned out the local MP as she tried to criticise Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for the situation, with many in the crowd also lambasting Labor's track record on refugees and asylum-seekers.

'If you want to make this about me, when I'm here to make it about Baby Asha, you people should be ashamed of yourselves,' Ms Butler said over the jeers and shouts.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton refused to comment on the matter.