Macao's third medical team on Monday left for China's quake-hit Sichuan Province, where they will assist work in local hospitals.

The crew comprised 11 local doctors and four nurses, who will go to Dujiangyan of Sichuan, one of the area severely damaged by the catastrophic earthquake on May 12, according to a press statement from the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government.

The crew boarded a Sichuan-bound plane this morning at an airport of Guangzhou, the capital of neighboring Guangdong Province, and they will stay in Dujiangyan for about two weeks.

The SAR's Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Chu Sai On, saw the medical staff off at the airport, encouraging them to do their best to help the local people.

Chui said more medical teams will be dispatched to Sichuan, if the provincial government requests such assistance.

The SAR has already sent two medical teams to the quake stricken area respectively on May and June.

In terms of the reconstruction plan of the quake-hit area, especially projects to be supported by the Macao Government over the next five years, Chui said the SAR government is in close contact with the Sichuan provincial government.

He added the SAR government would soon announce the names of members appointed to the ad hoc group and the general outlay of these projects.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2008)