UK patient flies to China, gets Rs 6 lakh procedure done for Rs 36,000, others follow: 'So efficient'

British citizen, Amie travelled to China in December to treat a long‑standing stomach condition and made a video about her medical trip which she said was 'worthwhile'. (Image credit: Amie, Panda Wandering/Facebook)

China’s affordable medical treatment and expanding visa‑free entry policies are increasingly drawing foreigners to the country, with overseas patients citing shorter waiting times and advanced clinical expertise as key reasons for seeking care there.

The trend gained spotlight after several foreign bloggers shared accounts of their treatment experiences at Chinese hospitals, contrasting them sharply with healthcare access and costs in Western countries, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

One such case involved a British woman, Amie, who travelled to China in December to treat a long‑standing stomach condition. In viral videos, she said she was unable to see a specialist in the UK due to long waiting lists in the public healthcare system. Amie flew to Beijing, secured an appointment at a major hospital and underwent a gastroscopy during which doctors removed several polyps. She received her medical report within a week, with the entire treatment completed in 12 days.

Her total medical bill was around Rs 36,000, a fraction of the cost of a similar procedure at a private clinic in the UK, where a single endoscopy can cost between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 6 lakh. “I am really impressed. This is so efficient,” she said, calling the medical trip “worthwhile”.

Such medical travel has been facilitated by China’s relaxed entry rules.

Hospitals recorded 1.28 million foreign patient visits in 2025

According to SCMP, the country currently allows 240‑hour visa‑free transit for citizens of 55 countries and visa‑free entry for residents of another 48 nations. International departments at major hospitals recorded 1.28 million foreign patient visits in 2025, a 73.6 per cent rise from three years earlier, even as the vast majority of the country’s 10 billion hospital visits continued to be by local residents, China’s National Health Commission stated.

Foreign users online have widely compared medical expenses, noting that routine procedures such as heart examinations, X‑rays and emergency care cost a fraction of what patients pay in the US or Canada without insurance.

Advance treatment in low cost

Some travellers are also drawn by China’s expertise in specialised treatment.

In January, a Chinese‑Canadian doctor took his 10‑year‑old daughter to Shanghai’s Ruijin Hospital for pancreatic surgery after doctors in Canada, the US, and Japan advised removing her spleen. Surgeons in Shanghai successfully preserved the organ, with the family paying about Rs 20 lakh.