NNUH clinical teams to treat Libyan conflict victims

Specialist surgical teams at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital are on standby to treat two Libyan patients who are arriving in the UK today for NHS treatment.

The two men, whose injuries include gunshot wounds to the body, will be assessed by various specialists at Norwich’s university hospital. The hospital is one of a small number of specialist centres nationally to be approached by the Department of Health after the Libyan Government asked the NHS to provide care for 50 civilian patients who have been injured as a result of the recent conflict.

The patients are being flown from Tunisia to Norwich International Airport today (Friday) and will receive specialised surgery and rehabilitation. The two men suffered their injuries in the Libyan town of Misrata. The full costs of care for the two men are being met by the Libyan government.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital medical director Professor Krishna Sethia said: “As a specialist centre for orthopaedic, plastic and reconstructive surgery we were asked if we could offer our support and we are very pleased to be able to help provide this humanitarian medical assistance.

“The patients are both stable despite their injuries and will be individually assessed by our clinical teams later today. It is expected they will be with us for a number of weeks as they will require clinically complex treatment from a range of our highly skilled medical, nursing and therapy staff.

Professor Sethia added: “We are delighted that we can offer the high quality care that we provide the local population to help patients from Libya who have suffered such terrible injuries.”