The Municipality of Athens, responding to the need to ensure the full accessibility of the inhabitants of the city to the primary health care services, launches in four Municipal Clinics the innovative service of distance interpretation (Relay Service) in the Greek Sign Language.This is a valuable service, installed for the first time in municipal health structures of the country and is provided free of charge to our fellow citizens who have hearing problems (deaf or hard of hearing). Beneficiaries will be able to connect from the Multipurpose Centers (via tablet provided by the Multipurpose Centers) to the Relay Center, where Greek Sign Language interpreters will facilitate their communication with both administrative services. (eg for making an appointment) as well as with the medical staff of the Multipurpose Centers during a clinical examination.The new Greek Sign Language Interpreting service (Relay Service) operates daily from 09.00 – 15.00 and is provided by experienced, professional interpreters in collaboration with the “Ark”, which is a Sign Language Training Center, as well as supportive intervention.”It is our duty to facilitate in every way the daily life of people with disabilities. Since the beginning of our term, we implement a series of interventions in the basic structures of the city for easier access of people with mobility problems to both the urban fabric and the schools of Athens. For the first time we utilize the technology through the primary health services to welcome our fellow citizens with difficulty in communication in the Municipal Clinics. “We continue to work methodically so as to create a city, Athens, without discrimination and social exclusion, with equal treatment of all its citizens”, points out in a statement the Mayor of Athens, Mr Costas Bakogiannis.
How the new service works : In order to inform the interested parties about the available specialties per Multipurpose Center / Municipal Clinic and to make an appointment, they may: – communicate directly with the service of distance interpretation, through the page https://www.cityofathens.gr/ygeia-proliptiki-iatriki/diermineia-eng in order to be served by a specialized interpreter of the Greek Sign Language.- visit the Multipurpose Center / Municipal Clinic that serves them and use the service of distance interpretation directly, through the portable tablets with the help of the staff of the Clinics.