More than a third of the region's general practitioners speak a second language, according to a new resource linking the doctors to multicultural Illawarra. And together they cover 36 foreign tongues, including Afrikaans, Bengali, Lithuanian and Malay.The linguistic smorgasbord is revealed in a revised Healthy Cities Illawarra booklet designed to point patients with scant English towards same-speaking doctors.It lists 86 of the region's estimated 249 GPs. Among them is Jos Hargovan, one of two Zulu-fluent doctors practising at Corrimal. Dr Hargovan grew up in Durban, South Africa, mainly speaking a combination of Zulu, English and an Indian dialect, Gujerati. She also speaks Hindi and the African dialect Xhoza. Although there hadn't been any call from her patients for a Zulu-speaking consultation, she was eager for greater awareness of foreign-language doctors."I do have Indian patients now who sought me out because I speak the language, and we have very good communications with them," Dr Hargovan said."I think it's important because we can relate better to them, explain their problems better and they can express themselves better." The directory has a separate section for Shoalhaven GPs and is an expanded version of a 2007 booklet compiled in response to a 2005 Healthy Cities report on sexual health issues among Wollongong's culturally and linguistically diverse communities.Sexual Health Promotion Officer Naomi Hall said being able to speak the same language as their doctor allowed patients to be honest, and to undergo a consultation on sometimes sensitive subjects without an interpreter.Booklets have been distributed to community centres, non-government organisations, multicultural groups and other outlets. Electronic copies are also available.
A FULL LIST OF BILINGUAL GPs is belowAfrikaans:Dr Armstrong - 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway DaptoDr Jenny Gould 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street WollongongDr J Hargovan 4283 3366 3/437 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Kana 4283 3366 3/437 Princes Highway Corrimal Arabic:Dr Ahmed Al-Salih 4274 0444 Shop 1/45 Cowper Street Warrawong Dr Ahmed Al-Salih 4254 2600 239/241Crown Street Wollongong Dr Samer Elafi 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway Dapto Dr El-roybaei 4297 0037 75 Cygnet Avenue Shellharbour Dr Nada Ismail 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Haider Jasim 4274 0444 Shop 1/45 Cowper Street Warrawong Dr Carl Mahfouz 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Dr Tania Mahfouz 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Dr Sylvia Thompson 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street WollongongBengali:Dr Asit Sen 4228 4944 Unit 3/105 Church Street Wollongong Burmese:Dr Ohnmar Gaing 4274 1411 16 Lake Avenue CringilaDr Mon Tut 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway CorrimalDr Mon Tut 4297 0037 75 Cygnet Avenue ShellharbourCantonese:Dr Peter Chang 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr K Diep 4229 8320 191 Gipps Road Keiraville Dr Bernard Lee 4261 8669 10/84 Bong Bong Road West Dapto Dr Kwing Yuen 4274 3141 230 Cowper Street Warrawong Croatian:Dr Emilija Sokolovska 4284 8922 77 Gladstone Street BellambiDr V Stanikic 4296 7317 8 Woodword Avenue WarillaDr V Stojkovska 4257 2111 175 Tongarra Road Albion Park French: Dr Danesh 4229 4533 20 Market Street WollongongDr Carl Mahfouz 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street WollongongGerman:Dr Szency 4283 7555 203-205 Princes Highway CorrimalGreek:Dr Theo Aroney 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Dr Chloe Madigan 4283 4225 191 Princess Highway CorrimalHindi:Dr Das Balgi 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway Dapto Dr Rekha Balgi 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway DaptoDr PV Cugati 4297 1700 13 George Street Warilla Dr Manilal Daya 4283 4577 69 Railway Street Corrimal Dr Gasper 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway Dapto Dr Vijai Gupta 4283 2588 2/80 Towradgi Road Towradgi Dr Hargovan 4283 3366 3/437 Princes Highway CorrimalDr K Kana 4283 3366 3/437 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Sara Loomba 4284 5416 Cnr Daisy Street & Princes Highway Fairy Meadow Dr Rani 4297 1700 13 George Street WarillaDr Ananth Rao 4228 1808 3/5 Bellevue Road Figtree Dr Dinakar Rao 4271 6320 104 Central Road Unanderra Dr Jayanthi Rao 4228 1808 3/5 Bellevue Road Figtree Dr A Rashid 4295 9999 105 Shellharbour Road WarillaDr Mohamad Rashid 4271 5115 3 Tannery Street UnanderraDr Bobby Rawel 4297 7170 101 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr Michael Reddy 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway Dapto Dr Hardev Rindani 4257 1522 44 Central Avenue Oak Flats Dr Lalita Sharma 4225 8181 27 Bridge Street Coniston Dr Sam Sharma 4225 8181 27 Bridge Street ConistonDr RV Sidhwani 4283 7044 116 Railway Street Coniston Dr Banu Thangavel 4297 7170 101 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr Frank Xavier 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Hokkien:Dr Eng Lee 4261 6888 21 Bong Bong Road DaptoDr Eng Lee 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Ben Lim 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Hungarian:Dr George Goor 4237 7502 31 Johnson Street Kiama DownsIndian Dialects:Dr Das Balgi 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway Dapto Indonesian:Dr Chris Chin 4284 2850 1/123 Balgownie Road BalgownieIranian:Dr Danesh 4229 4533 20 Market Street WollongongItalian:Dr Anna Di Marco 4228 6111 103 Corrimal Street Wollongong Dr Peter Floro 4275 1800 43 King Street Warrawong Dr Jeffrey Fuller 4284 4633 43 Princes Highway Fairy Meadow Dr RV Sidhwani 4283 7044 116 Railway Street CorrimalKannada:Dr Ananth Rao 4228 1808 3/5 Bellevue Road Figtree Dr Jayanthi Rao 4228 1808 3/5 Bellevue Road Figtree Korean:Dr Hamish Hamn 4275 1800 43 King Street Warrawong Kurdish:Dr Ozmat Mizori 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Lithuanian:Dr Daiva Kuzinkoviene 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Macedonian:Dr Emilija Sokolovska 4284 8922 77 Gladstone Street Bellambi Dr V Stanikic 4296 7317 8 Woodword Avenue Warilla Dr V Stojkovska 4257 2111 175 Tongarra Road Albion Park Malay:Dr Eng Lee 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Frank Xavier 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Malayalam:Dr Gasper 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway DaptoMandarin:Dr George Purace 4232 1244 83 Manning Street Kiama Dr Siong Tay Tor 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway CorrimalDr Tony Toh 4296 1936 80 Addison Avenue Lake IllawarraDr Kwing Yuen 4274 3141 230 Cowper Street Warrawong Persian:Dr Muhamad Iqbal 4274 1795 23 Lake Avenue CringilaPolish:Dr G Sobol 4284 4633 43 Princes Highway Fairy Meadow Punjabi:Dr Ravi Khanna 4284 4677 17-19 Murray Road Corrimal EastDr Sara Loomba 4284 5416 Cnr Daisy St & Princes Highway Fairy Meadow Dr Rajesh Verma 4257 3400 Unit 5/64 Terry Street Albion Park Russian:Dr Natalia Bakhilova 4233 1155 10/133 Terralong Street Kiama Dr Daiva Kuzinkoviene 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Carl Mahfouz 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Dr Tania Mahfouz 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Dr George Purace 4232 1244 83 Manning Street KiamaDr G Sobol 4284 4633 43 Princes Highway Fairy MeadowSerbian:Dr V Stanikic 4296 7317 8 Woodword Avenue Warilla Dr V Stojkovska 4257 2111 175 Tongarra Road Albion Park Sinhala:Dr Saroja Gunasekera 4228 6111 103 Corrimal Street Wollongong Dr K Kanagafbai 4233 1155 10/133 Terralong Street Kiama Dr Dayal Kumarage 4297 7170 101 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr Rajapakfa 4226 1231 21 Harbour Street Wollongong Dr LPG Wicks 4297 1099 228 Shellharbour Road Warilla Spanish:Dr J Avila 4271 1685 53 Winnima Way Berkeley Swahili:Dr Sultan Aly 4296 2566 109 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr Ravi Khanna 4284 4677 17-19 Murray Road Corrimal East Dr Banu Thangavel 4297 7170 101 Shellharbour Road WarillaTamil:Dr Gasper 4262 4555 112 Princes Highway Dapto 2526 Dr K Kanagafbai 4233 1155 10/133 Terralong Street Kiama Dr Rajapakfa 4226 1231 21 Harbour Street Wollongong Dr Jayanthi Rao 4228 1808 3/5 Bellevue Road Figtree Dr Banu Thangavel 4297 7170 101 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr LPG Wicks 4297 1099 228 Shellharbour Road Warilla Urdu:Dr Sultan Aly 4296 2566 109 Shellharbour Road WarillaDr Vijai Gupta 4283 2588 2/80 Towradgi Road Towradgi Dr Shabbir Haider 4295 9999 105 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr Muhamad Iqbal 4274 1795 23 Lake Avenue CringilaDr F Qamar 4285 1110 4/53-55 Pioneer Road Bellambi Dr Anjum Rashid 4271 5115 3 Tannery Street UnanderraDr Mohamad Rashid 4271 5115 3 Tannery Street Unanderra Dr M Raza 4297 0037 75 Cygnet Avenue Shellharbour Dr Shahid 4295 9999 105 Shellharbour Road Warilla Dr S Zafar 4285 1110 4/53-55 Pioneer Road Bellambi Vietnamese:Dr Trevor Chau 4283 4225 191 Princes Highway Corrimal Dr Peter Le 4257 3400 Unit 5/64 Terry Street Albion ParkDr Trung Huu Ngo 4283 4225 191 Princess Highway Corrimal Dr Nguyen 4274 0444 Shop 1/45 Cowper Street WarrawongDr Peter Nguyen 4254 2600 239/241 Crown Street Wollongong Dr Vinh Nguyen 4229 8320 191 Gipps Road KeiravilleDr Tran 4274 0444 Shop 1/45 Cowper Street Warrawong Dr Dai Tran 4283 4225 191 Princess Highway Corrimal Zulu:Dr J Hargovan 4283 3366 3/437 Princes Highway CorrimalDr Kana 4283 3366 3/437 Princes Highway Corrimal
