China Health Information
| Medical costs are low. Many medicines common to Western countries are unavailable in China. Medical facilities in international hospitals are excellent. There are many traditional forms of medicine used in China, the most notable being acupuncture. Medical insurance is strongly advised. | |||||||||||||||
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| 1 A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers arriving within six days of leaving an infected area. 2 Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to China. However, cholera is a slight risk in this country and precautions could be considered. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. For more information, see the Health appendix. A strain of Bengal cholera has been reported in western areas. 3 Poliovirus transmission has been shown by reliable data to have been completely interrupted since 1999 through eradication programmes. 4 Malaria risk exists throughout the country below 1500m except in Beijing, Gansu, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shanxi, Tibet (Xizang, except in the Zangbo River Valley in the extreme southeast) and Xinjiang (except in the Yili River Valley). North of 33°N, the risk lasts from July to November, between 33°N and 25°N from May to December, and south of 25°N throughout the year. The disease occurs primarily in the benign vivax form but the malignant falciparum form is also present and has been reported to be multidrug-resistant. The recommended prophylaxis in risk areas is atovaquone, doxycycline, or mefloquine in Hainan and Yunnan. | |||||||||||||||
If you're planning a trip to China, don't forget to order your travel insurance now.