The medical record and its translation
A South African facility can only rule on what it receives. The quality of the file sent determines the quality of the response — and sometimes the patient's safety.
● A PRADeXPERIENCE service · professional translation, protected data
A translation error is not a stylistic fault.
On a medical document, a poorly rendered molecule name, a mistranscribed dosage or an omitted allergy can have serious consequences. This is why we never translate medical documents ourselves, even if we are completely bilingual.
We coordinate specialised translators, and we ask the practitioner who receives you to confirm that they have everything they need.
What we are not
Okoumé is not a health facility and does not employ any health professionals. We do not make any diagnoses, recommend any treatments or advise on the course of action to take. These decisions belong to doctors — yours in Gabon, and the one who will treat you in South Africa. Our work is organisation: procedures, logistics, language and coordination between the two.
How is the file compiled
Gather the pieces
Your regular doctor gathers the documents needed for the application. We provide the list adapted to the relevant specialty.
Gather your consent
Written consent, specific about what will be transmitted, to whom, and for how long. Nothing goes out before then.
Have it translated by professionals
Specialised translators in medical terminology, bound by a written confidentiality agreement.
Forward and have confirmed
The institution receives the file and confirms that it has the necessary documents, or indicates what is missing.
What your doctor needs to gather
The exact list depends on the specialism and the question asked. In most cases, it includes:
| Document | Why does he matter |
|---|---|
| Letter from the GP | He sets out the request: what type of care is being sought and why. This is the central document of the file. |
| Consultation and inpatient discharge summaries | The history of care up to the present day. |
| Test results | With the dates and reference laboratory values. |
| Imaging and radiological reports | The images themselves as much as their interpretation. The formats and media must be checked in advance. |
| Previous operative reports | Essential as soon as an intervention is considered. |
| Current treatments | Molecules, dosages, duration. Brand names vary from one country to another — the molecule is what counts. |
| Known allergies and intolerances | The most critical piece of information in the file, and the one that needs to be checked twice. |
We provide your doctor with a precise list according to the relevant specialism, in French, so that they do not have to guess what is expected on the other side.
Why we don't do it ourselves
Being bilingual is not enough to translate a medical document. The terminology is technical, conventions differ from one healthcare system to another, and certain errors cannot be rectified.
Three examples of what must be handled with precision:
- the drug names, which differ between France, Gabon and South Africa — only the international non-proprietary name is reliable; ;
- the units and reference values tests that are not identical from one laboratory to another; ;
- the allergies, the omission or inaccuracy of which can be dangerous.
So our role is coordinate select specialist translators, send them a complete file, have whatever needs it proofread, and ask the receiving institution to confirm that it has everything it needs.
This confirmation is important: it closes the loop. A file sent is not a file understood.
How your health information is protected
In South Africa, health-related information falls under a category that is particularly protected by data protection law. Its processing is in principle prohibited, except where a legal authorisation applies — the data subject consent as this is the chosen path here. Furthermore, specific regulations regarding the processing of health data were published in March 2026.
| Engagement | What this means in practice |
|---|---|
| Prior written consent | Nothing is transmitted until you have signed a document specifying what, to whom, why and for how long. |
| Restricted and named recipients | Translator, requested facility, your regular GP. Each recipient is indicated to you prior to sending. |
| Contractual confidentiality | Everyone dealing with your case is bound by a written confidentiality agreement. |
| Limited conservation | A pre-determined retention period, followed by secure deletion. |
| Collection available | You can withdraw your consent in writing at any time. |
| Regulated cross-border transfer | Your documents are moving between Gabon and South Africa: this transfer is regulated and documented. |
These are not just set phrases. A medical record is the most intimate document a family can entrust to a third party, and we prefer to tell you exactly what happens to it.
Official sources
Go further
- Choose the hospital and the specialist — who the file is forwarded to
- Medical treatment visa — what the application allows you to obtain
- Cost and organisation of the trip — The quote stems from the file
What we do at this stage
Methodical work, which underpins the rest of the journey.
- List of documents to gather, adapted to the specialty, given to your doctor
- Collection of written consent prior to any transmission
- Selection and coordination of specialised translators
- Readability check of imaging media
- Secure transmission to the requested facility
- Confirmation from the establishment that it has everything necessary
Precision, not the speed
This is the stage where it is most tempting to rush, and the one where you most certainly must not. A well-prepared application gets a useful response; a botched one gets a refusal or, worse, a response based on false information.
- Specialist translatorsWe do not translate medical documents ourselves. Never.
- Closed loopWe request confirmation that the file is complete and usable.
- Protected dataWritten consent, named recipients, limited retention.
Good to know
Does Okoumé translate medical documents himself?
What documents need to be gathered?
How is my medical data protected?
Who has access to my file?
Can I withdraw my consent?
How long does it take to prepare the application?
Do you have a medical file to be examined?
Let's talk about it before sending it anywhere. The first consultation is free, in French, and without obligation.
