Second team of medical volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador arrive in Ontario

A second team of medical volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador touched down in Ontario on Wednesday.

A team of three doctors and four nurses arrived on a military plane and will immediately be deployed to Peel Region – one of the hardest hit areas in the GTA.

They will be working in Brampton Civic Hospital’s COVID unit to provide supportive care.

“Provide supportive care to a group that hasn’t had a break in a long time — I think it means a lot,” said Dr. Art Rideout, a reconstructive surgeon on the team.

Michelle Murphy, a nurse on the team, said she was proud to be able to help at such a critical time.

“I’ve been to the third world and I’ve given back there. Nursing is my passion, I love being able to help people and today I’m going to give back right here, in my country,” she said.

The group is the second of three multi-purpose medical assistance teams (MMATs) of nurses and medical technicians deployed by the Canadian Armed Forces to help Ontario’s overburdened health-care system.

Ontario made a formal request to the federal government for assistance from the military and the Canadian Red Cross on April 26.

The first set of volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador arrived last week and are currently serving in Toronto hospitals.