14 February 2007
A Northland woman serving as a medic with the New Zealand Defence Force in the Solomon Islands says the experience has taught her how to deal with ailments she would never have learnt about in her university studies.
Private Nerissa Chapman, a former Keri Keri High School student, has been deployed to the pacific country since November last year with a contingent of 44 NZDF personnel assisting the RAMSI mission.
The hands on experience helping colleagues and locals recover from bumps and bruises, animal bites and tropical diseases would prove invaluable if she was to realise her dream of becoming a physiotherapist in the future, Private Chapman said.
“Gaining medical experience with the New Zealand Army in the Solomon Islands will give me a real advantage when I return to complete my physiotherapy studies at Lincoln University in Christchurch.”
“I’ve seen a lot of muscular conditions over here, not to mention the rashes, animal bites and tropical illnesses,” she said.
Private Chapman has been a Territorial Force soldier for the past two years and has previously served as a Regular Force medic between 2002 and 2004.
Her daily routine involves making sure everyone in her platoon is healthy and taking precautions against tropical illnesses such as malaria.
When she isn’t tending to others in her contingent she spends her time training or helping local people.
“My role is primarily medical but it can be quite broad at times. On a recent provincial patrol to San Cristobal Island I read books and sang songs to children at a local kindergarten to give the teachers a hand.”
New Zealand personnel are deployed to the Solomon Islands on four month rotations. Private Chapman expects to graduate as a physiotherapist early next year.
Pictured above right - Private Nerissa Chapman at the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands headquarters near Honiara.
ENDS
Currently 729 New Zealand Defence Force personnel are deployed on 19 operations, UN missions and defence exercises around the world.
For further information please contact James Heffield, Defence Public Relations, on
04 529 6033 or 021 569 148.