Our Faculty's volunteers have set up a group of translators who help doctors contact refugees from Ukraine. Anyone who knows Polish and Ukrainian or Russian can help.
The war in Ukraine has so far caused over 2 million people to flee from the threatening danger and migrate to Poland. While in our country, they can benefit from medical assistance in hospitals and health care centres, but it turns out that the language barrier is a big problem.
– We have received information from the medical community that due to the arrival of large groups of refugees from Ukraine, the patient-doctor communication has become a problem. In the case of health issues, it can be a big problem, so in consultation with our students and employees from Ukraine, we decided that it would be good to create a group of volunteers who would help in such contacts – says Prof. Paweł Wachel, vice-dean for student affairs at the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology.
The initiative was welcomed at the Faculty. Almost 20 volunteers have already joined the project and more are joining every day.
– They include both our students and employees, but also people from outside Wrocław University of Science and Technology. We try to rotate shifts on the 24/7 basis, depending on the availability of translators, explains Anna Grytsko from the Faculty.
A special group has been launched on Skype, where the currently available volunteers are waiting for doctors to call. Their main task is to assist in conducting a basic medical interview. If a doctor has a patient who he is unable to communicate with, he/she makes a Skype call and asks for simultaneous interpretation.
Paediatricians are the first to benefit from the help of volunteers, because it is women with children that are currently the largest group among refugees. However, it is possible that in the future – as the number of volunteers increases – doctors of other specializations, such as internists, will also be able to use the help of our University's translators.
The initiative can be supported by anyone who knows Polish and Ukrainian or Russian and who is ready to be on duty at times they choose themselves. No medical knowledge is required.
– Responsibility is the most important requirement, as you don't need to work long hours. However, if someone declares that they will be available at a certain time, we count on that person to really be there – emphasizes Prof. Paweł Wachel. – We invite all students and employees who want to help and who can get involved in our campaign – he adds.
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