Briefing
An Australian hospital has received a batch of medical supplies from a Chinese exporter and is investigating a possible link between the goods supplied and a recent outbreak of golden staph. The head of hospital administration, Neil Plopper, is contacting the Chinese supplier, Ms Chen, in regards to the matter.
Listen to Dialogue
Mandarin-English Dialogue #10 – Medical Supplies Controversy
Transcript
Plopper: Good afternoon Mrs Chen, I am calling you today about a rather urgent matter, so please bear with me while I explain the situation in full. Your company is our major supplier of bandages and gauzes, as you know, and I am afraid to inform you that we have traced several cases of golden staph infection in our patients directly to your products.
Ms Chen (陈女士): 我明白了，请告诉我你们是怎么得出这个结论的。我可以向你们保证，我们的绷带和纱布每天都被许多医院使用，而这次是我们第一次收到这方面的投诉。[I see. Please tell me what led you to this conclusion. I assure you our bandages and gauzes are used daily in many hospitals and this is the first time we’ve received a complaint of this nature.]
Plopper: I understand that, however only patients who have had wounds dressed with supplies from your factory are suffering staph symptoms. We have looked at all other possible causes, but there is every indication that the infection is related directly to your first aid supplies.
Ms Chen (陈女士): 我们对所有产品的制作和包装过程很注意，其他的医院从来没这么说过。你们怎么能确定绷带和纱布不是在你们那受污染的呢？[All of our products are made and packaged with the utmost care and no other hospitals have made such accusations before. How can you be sure that the bandages and gauzes did not become contaminated at your end?]
Plopper: Well, after a thorough investigation we have concluded that the first-aid supplies first became contaminated at your factory. Worse still, we are currently testing the iodine you supplied in the same shipment to see if that’s infected as well. Some of that liquid has already been used in operations, and we dread to think what the consequences might be if they are loaded with bacteria.
Ms Chen (陈女士): 如果你们担心你们提到的物品上有金色葡萄球菌。为什么你们不在病人使用前，把这些绷带和纱布放在消毒器里消毒呢。[If you are concerned that this golden staph infection is only present on the items you mentioned why don’t you put all of the bandages and gauzes into the steriliser before you use any more of them on your patients?]
Plopper: Ms Chen, I’m amazed that you would think this a solution. Medical supplies must be sterilised before they’re sealed in their packaging. It’s not our job to sterilise the supplies which are already supposed to be sterile when they arrive. I’m suggesting to the hospital that a thorough re-examination of your medical supplies be undertaken immediately.
Ms Chen (陈女士): 普洛普先生，看来你们是存心跟我们过不去啊。[Mr Plopper, it seems as if you’re deliberately making things difficult for us.]
Plopper: We have to think of our patients above all else, Ms Chen, and so I would like to cease all further orders we’ve made with your company – effective immediately.
Ms Chen (陈女士): 但是我在最近的订单中，已经寄给你们250套急救箱和1000份纱布。这些已经在运输途中，而你们也马上会收到这些货物。[But I have already posted your most recent order for 250 first aid kits and 1,000 gauzes. They are currently in transit and will be with you imminently.]
Plopper: Well, Ms Chen I can assure you that as soon as it arrives, your items will be returned to the factory immediately. This situation has forced us to look elsewhere for all future medical supplies, and we’ll no longer be dealing with you.
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