A medical team of Taiwan Red Cross are heading for quake-hit Qinghai Province on Sunday to assist relief work and is expected to arrive at Qinghai's capital city Xining in the evening.

Fifteen of the 20-member medical team left from Taipei Sunday morning, and five who have been working in Shanghai and Sichuan Province on the mainland will join them in Xining in the evening, the Taiwan Red Cross said.

Taiwan medical staff are to help with surgery treatment and public health work. About 1,000 kilograms of medicine and relief materials are on board the plane.