Russians flock to border city for medical treatment
Print Edition
It took Dmitrii three days 鈥 via two air flights and a cross-border bus 鈥 to see his dentist and have his teeth repaired.
But for the 32-year-old Russian who lives in a small village near the Arctic Circle, the recent trip to Hunchun, a small Chinese city on the border, was worth the effort.
鈥淭he dentists here are skillful and charge a reasonable price,鈥 said Dmitrii, who spent about 10,000 yuan (US$1,587) repairing his decayed teeth. 鈥淚n my hometown, the same treatment would cost me more than triple that price.鈥
Besides the considerable cost difference, Dmitrii also liked not having to wait long for an appointment with the doctors. 鈥淚n Hunchun, you can just walk in the clinic and get the treatment immediately,鈥 he said.
Artem Kechin, who came to China with Dmitrii, went to Hunchun鈥檚 traditional Chinese medicine hospital for a spine treatment. He planned to have an operation the next time he visits the Jilin Province city.
鈥淚n Russia, more and more patients are embracing Chinese dentists and TCM. Seeing doctors, along with traveling and shopping, is what draws Russians to China,鈥 Kechin said.
Over the past five years, an annual average of 300,000 Russians have traveled to Hunchun, many of them medical tourists. This influx of patients has driven up the number of local dentist clinics to nearly 100.
At the TCM hospital, massage practitioner An Sheng is busying treating Russian patients.
鈥淲e treat around 50 Russian patients every month,鈥 he said. 鈥淢assage, moxibustion and cupping are especially popular among Russians who suffer from spondylosis, slipped disk, diabetes and high blood pressure.鈥
To better serve foreign patients, the local government has set up a center to collect and provide information on hospital charges and introduced a rating system for hospitals.
Many hospitals have also hired Russian translators and set up designated areas to attend to Russian patients.
Besides treating Russian patients, medical institutions in Hunchun are also looking to promote TCM in Russia. 鈥淭o meet the high Russian demand for TCM, we will strengthen our cooperation with Russian hospitals in the future,鈥 said An.
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