More than 40 people at the regional processing centre on Nauru were admitted for treatment in the first three months of this year, according to the independent health advice panel overseeing medical transfers.

Some refugees and asylum seekers were admitted more than once, with the longest stay being 44 days.

"The commonest reason for consultation was for psychological reasons," the panel said in its first quarterly report.

In addition, there were 8260 medical consultations to the 237 people on Nauru between January and March.

In Papua New Guinea, there were 1134 primary health consultations, 472 mental health consultations and 375 specialist consultations performed on Manus Island in the first three months of the year.

There were 21 admissions to the Lorengau General Hospital for 17 individuals.

"These were predominantly for mental health concerns," the panel said.

The figures come as the government tries to repeal legislation giving doctors more say in the medical transfers of asylum seekers and refugees from Manus Island and Nauru to mainland Australia for treatment.

The so-called "medevac bill" is being debated in federal parliament on Tuesday.

Labor supports the medevac process, with frontbencher Andrew Giles accusing the government of playing politics with the health of asylum seekers.

"The Australian people are good, decent and generous. They don't want to see vulnerable sick people in our care suffering when medical care is available to treat them," Mr Giles told the lower house.

Meanwhile, another boatload of asylum seekers bound for Australia has been intercepted at sea, with the arrival quickly swept into the medevac debate.

Five Sri Lankan men were aboard the vessel when it was was intercepted in the Indian Ocean at the weekend. The men were sent back to Sri Lanka.

It is the third asylum seeker boat to come to Australia since the federal election.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton tried to weaponise the boat arrival as he seeks to unwind the medevac laws.

"Those people no doubt would have landed here under the Labor Party," he told parliament.

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally begged to differ.

"This boat attempted to come on Minister Dutton's watch. It's his competence in question," she said.

Mr Albanese said Labor would stand firm against the government's efforts to reverse the changes to medical transfers for asylum seekers, which were legislated against its wishes earlier this year.

"We see no reason to change the legislation. The government hasn't given any reason," he told ABC radio.

Key Senate crossbencher Rex Patrick is also standing by the laws.

"The bill creates a regime of humaneness, making sure that people who need medical attention get medical attention," he told reporters in Canberra.

Australian Associated Press