A top-standard hospital, equipped with the state-of-the-art medical facilities and 600 staffs, has opened in the Olympic Village in a mission to provide efficient and effective services for the Olympics.

Olympic villagers can enjoy free medical services including dentistry and eye-care in the 3-storey hospital, which is located in the southern part of the village that houses about 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage.

Besides, leading medical devices including MRI, ultrasonic devices, absorptiometry and electrocardiogram instruments are all put into place, Sun Lianping, chief of the First Aid group in the Olympic Village told Xinhua on Saturday.

Some 600 medical staff have been mobilized from the backbone hospitals in the city to be 24-hour standby to deal with any emergencies, he said.

"Although the Olympic athletes enjoy better physical conditions than ordinary people, we should also keep high alert on any possible emergencies to provide the best service for delegates worldwide," he said.

"My group has four ambulances made by Benz, and each one is equipped with three professional medical staffs. The ambulances will be used to transfer patients to the nearest Olympic-appointed hospital in the shortest time possible if the illness can not be treated with First Aid inside the village," according to Sun.

"Yesterday in the village's shopping center, a foreign delegate suddenly fell in a faint because of her neck injuries. We arrived soon and put on a neck collar on her and prevent the injuries worsening," Sun told reporter.

Working as a volunteer in the Olympic Village, Sun said they will keep working even during weekends until the end of the Paralympics. "Tiresome as it is, it's worthwhile to do my part for the games," the 42-year-old said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2008)