Interpreters sought to help doctors during Beijing Olympic Games

The Beijing Emergency Medical Centre is looking for multi-lingual people to help receive emergency medical calls from foreigners during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

People who able to speak both Chinese and other foreign languages, including foreigners, are welcome to join the volunteer effort, said Wang Xue Li Hong, an official at the centre.

"We are hoping that the volunteers can help our medical co-ordinators respond more quickly and accurately to foreign emergency calls. Tens of thousands of foreigners will visit Beijing in 2008," Wang told China Daily.

"Priority will be given to people who can work nightshifts, and those who speak uncommon foreign languages," she added.

As of yesterday, prospective volunteers can request registration forms via fax or email or pick them up in person at the Beijing Emergency Medical Centre. They can call 66098203 or email to kittyfan120@126.com if they have inquiries.

The centre will hold interviews later next month. Foreigners can also take part, though they must present their legal identity cards at the centre.

Qualified volunteers will be expected to contribute at least one shift and not less than 4 hours to the service during the Games.

"We will also hold training classes, to provide them with some basic emergency medical knowledge," the official said.

Statistics show that nearly 70,000 foreigners live in Beijing. Some 3.5 million foreigners visited Beijing last year. More and more visitors come from non-English speaking countries like South Korea, Japan, France and many others.

Wang said the Beijing Emergency Medical Centre rarely receives emergency calls from foreigners, but when it does, co-ordinating doctors tend not to be able to cope with the situation.

More than 20 people called in to volunteer yesterday during the first day of registration. Four people applied to be German-Chinese interpreters; four to be French-Chinese interpreters; and one to do Russian-Chinese.

Source: China Daily