8 Oct 2009

More New Zealand medics head to Samoa

8:22 am on 8 October 2009

Medical staff with specialised emergency expertise left New Zealand for Samoa last night, and six more workers will soon follow.

The staff are some of 500 from around the country who have volunteered to help in the wake of Samoa's tsunami.

Earlier this week, a plastic surgeon and a psychiatrist from the Canterbury District Health Board also headed to Samoa to join the small team of New Zealand medical personnel there.

The Health Minister, Tony Ryall, says the New Zealanders carried out 27 operations on Monday and 15 on Tuesday, most of which involved the surgical cleaning of wounds and setting of broken limbs.

Two nurses, one lab technician and three health protection officers will be the next to fly to Samoa.