title: East Timor: the work of the New Zealand Forward Surgical Team from 1999 to 2000.
abstract: The surgical work of the New Zealand Forward Surgical Team (FST) during the peace-enforcing operations in East Timor is described for the year October 1999 to October 2000. The FST's intention was to provide medical support to the International Force, East Timor (a combined regional force) and later to the U.N. military and employed personnel in the remote Cova Lima district of East Timor. From the early days, U.N. level 2 medical support was also provided to the local population; this had not been planned for. During its first year, the FST and its attached regimental aid post consulted 5,017 outpatients and performed 226 surgical procedures. The local population's only other support was a general practice and obstetric hospital, with mobile clinics. The statistics provided are intended to assist future planners in operations other than war. One of the important lessons learned was that humanitarian medical care should be included as a tool in strategic military planning.
authors.affiliation: Burnham Medical Treatment Centre, Burnham Military Camp, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Dunn
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D008493:Medical Missions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D009520:New Zealand; D012066:Relief Work; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D016526:Workload