Taipei, June 24 (CNA) Australia thanked Taiwan Sunday for providing quality medical care to more than 10 international refugees who were in urgent need of medical attention or suffering from serious illnesses while in Nauru, which serves as Australia's offshore immigration detention center.
Australian Office Taipei, which serves the interests of Australia and Australians in Taiwan, issued a statement saying that all these refugees had agreed to be treated in Taiwan and to return to Nauru once they have been discharged from hospital.
Taiwan has won global praise for its quality medical care and contributions to the international community in the area of health and medical care, said the statement.
Taiwan has has been doing this under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Australia, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Under the MOU that was signed last September, Taiwan Adventist Hospital began in January to help bring in refugees and asylum seekers from Australia's immigration processing center on Nauru who need but cannot obtain urgent medical care there, MOFA spokesman Andrew Lee said.
Australia is responsible for footing the transportation and medical bills for the refugees, according to the terms of the MOU.
Australian media have reported that under an agreement with the South Pacific island nation of Nauru, the Australian government has an offshore immigration detention facility there that houses asylum seekers reportedly from Iran, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and other countries.
On the other hand, according to Lee, the longstanding medical cooperation between Taiwan and Nauru has been fruitful, and as an active and contributory member of the international community, Taiwan is willing to work with other countries to improve the health of all people.
