The Canadian Press: N.S. doctor toting nine duffel bags of donated medicines to Libyan hometown

The Canadian Press: N.S. doctor toting nine duffel bags of donated medicines to Libyan hometown

HALIFAX — A Libyan doctor working in southern Nova Scotia is on his way to his homeland today transporting nine duffel bags of medical supplies to the hospital where he was trained.

Dr. Hassan Mustafa, an internal medicine physician at Yarmouth regional hospital, has been collecting the donated supplies since he announced several months ago he was going to travel to his war-torn homeland.

Mustafa came to Canada in 2000 to do his post-graduate residencies in internal medicine and nephrology and has remained here since then.

However, he says he decided to provide his medical services to Libya after learning that medical staff have been fleeing and there is a desperate need for doctors and medicine.

He flies today on Air France to Egypt, and then will travel from Cairo to the eastern border of Libya.

The suitcases and duffel bags he's carrying contain medicines ranging from antibiotics to blood pressure medication and painkillers.

Mustafa intends to deliver the supplies to a hospital in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, where he once trained as a doctor and where he will offer his services.

He said he expects to provide primary medical care to injured rebels and the general population. He also expects to do some minor operations.

Mustafa says he will be accompanied by a Canadian nurse, also from Yarmouth, and his wife, Linda Cameron.

"There is a huge need for help," he said. "Medical staff have been fleeing the country."

Mustafa says he has been strongly opposed to the dictator Moammar Gadhafi for decades.

He adds that he's hopeful the current uprising will lead to Gadhafi's ouster and said he dreams of being able to eventually cast a vote in Libya.

His brothers, sisters and mother live in eastern Libya and have not been harmed in the conflict, he said.

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