West Asian patients at hospitals create new job profile: Interpreters

Sarfaraz Ahmad,who graduated in Arabic Studies from Jamia last year,has already changed two hospitals in three months. “Sarfaraz worked as an interpreter at the Apollo Hospitals after he graduated,but joined us after that. For students of such courses,this is a lucrative career option,” says Rahman.

A fresh graduate who has been recruited as an interpreter recently says,“The money is extremely good. Based on your language skills,they offer up to Rs 50,000 per month. This is much better than the opportunities other BA graduates get.”

The job profile involves greeting patients at hospitals,and monitoring all doctor-patient interactions thereafter. “For seeking consent for sensitive procedures,the interpreter is entirely responsible for the translation,and signs all legal documents along with the patient in the consent forms,” says Hari Boolchandani,head of the international patient department at Max Hospitals.

Hospitals attribute this recruitment spree,a phenomenon seen since last year,to the burgeoning number of patients from Arab countries. “If we count in-patients alone,the numbers from West Asia have doubled this financial year. While we had approximately 500 patients in 2008-09,we crossed the 1,000-mark the last financial year,” Boolchandani adds.

At Apollo Hospitals,patients from West Asia comprise 40 per cent of the international patient load.

Apart from college graduates,the phenomenon has also opened up opportunities for madrasa students from Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. “Though they take time to get into the loop,students from madrasas are more fluent in Arabic languages than college graduates. At Apollo,we provide them a three-month training course to get acquainted with the process of taking down medical histories and translating accurately for doctors,” says Dr Walid M Albakili,head of the international patient department at Apollo.

Ten interpreters have been hired at Apollo for Arab countries exclusively,a majority of them madrasa graduates. “We do not even have to place ads or go for campus placements. In the last financial year,we received numerous applications from many madrasas,” says Boolchandani.

A graduate from the Ghaziuddin madrasa at Ajmeri Gate,who has been working as an interpreter for the past six months,says,“I think it provides good opportunities for madrasa students to get employed in the mainstream. We get information about these openings from our friends at Jamia or our seniors.” The jobs also provide for valuable work experience if they consider applying for government service later. “For jobs at the Ministry of External Affairs,a minimum work experience of three-five years is necessary. We are doing critical translations here,so it definitely gives our CVs an edge,” he adds.