Health diplomacy: New Rx for China-Bangladesh friendship

Several recent initiatives to facilitate Bangladeshi patients’ treatment in China have opened a new horizon in relations between the two countries, paving the way for a more intensified economic partnership.

China extended a hand of friendship when India halted the issuing of visas to Bangladeshis after 5 August 2024, leaving many patients in distress. Seizing this opportunity, China strategically stepped forward, adding a new dimension to regional health diplomacy.

China, under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, is expanding its global influence through economic, technological, and diplomatic initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and alternative financial institutions.

Medical tourism within the BRI includes both the facilitation of medical tourism to China and the development of local healthcare infrastructure in Bangladesh.

A dedicated “Belt and Road Healthcare Center” in Dhaka, established by Bangladeshi nationals, helps connect Bangladeshi patients with advanced Chinese hospitals and services. So far, it has assisted hundreds of Bangladeshi patients to seek medical care in China.

Medical tourism has emerged not just as a specialised industry but is also recognised as a strategic pillar for mutual growth and benefit,” said Dr Maruf Mollah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Belt and Road Healthcare Center.

China is also building a 1,000-bed hospital in Rangpur and has donated advanced physiotherapy equipment to Bangladesh.

How Bangladeshis avail of Chinese medical services

Currently, Bangladeshi patients can consult any Bangladeshi travel agency or intermediary for medical treatment in China.

After submitting personal medical records and relevant test reports, the agency forwards the patient’s information to a Chinese hospital, which then issues an invitation letter and a cost estimate (within approximately five to seven days).

The agency will assist the patient in obtaining an S2 visa (single-entry, up to 180 days), flights, accommodation, transportation, and Bangla translation services in China.

To implement the important consensus reached during Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s visit to China in March, to further enhance cooperation in public health and facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries, the Embassy of China in Bangladesh has introduced special facilitation measures for China-bound medical treatment, with simplified documentation requirements, dedicated “Green Channel” services, and a streamlined interview process.

Sources said Chinese medical institutions possess extensive diagnostic and treatment experience for international patients and welcome more Bangladeshi citizens for health check-ups, rehabilitation, and medical care.

The Chinese Embassy imposes no restrictions on which Chinese hospitals Bangladeshi travel agencies may partner with, nor on which licensed travel agencies may assist applicants with Chinese visa documentation.

Dr Maruf Mollah, CEO of Belt & Road Healthcare Center, told the Daily Sun that medical treatments in China are far better than in many other countries. Moreover, Chinese hospitals are very friendly toward Bangladeshi patients, especially those coming from Bangladesh.

China is geographically convenient, with direct daily flights to Guangzhou and Kunming. Guangzhou, in particular, offers a familiar environment for Bangladeshis, including many Bangladeshi restaurants, so Bangladeshi patients generally prefer Guangzhou.

Medical care in China is affordable, and the Belt & Road Healthcare Center works with over 25 hospitals, including those in Kunming, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities. Some are public, some private, but all offer high-quality services, he said.

The treatments offered range from cancer treatment, chronic disease management, diabetes care, and high blood pressure treatment to surgeries, back pain therapy, and spinal cord procedures.

Additionally, many Bangladeshis seek rehabilitation and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Hair transplants, skin conditions such as acne, and weight loss treatments using Chinese medicine have also become increasingly popular among patients.

Huang Xiaoting, director of the International Medical Center at Guangdong Pharmaceutical University and Guangzhou Fosun Chancheng Hospital, told the Daily Sun, “Our facility is a specialised tumour treatment centre. That’s why, technically, we can offer the best services in the world. We are confident about it.”

“Traditional Chinese medicine is also one of our specialties. I think combining the West’s very advanced technology with traditional Chinese medicine, we can offer a better solution for patients, giving them a reason to come here.”

Zakir Hossain Khan, a businessman visiting China frequently for 13 years, said, “I really like the treatment here, and more and more Bangladeshi patient have been coming here recently.”

Asked about the cost, he said, “Of course, it’s slightly higher than that in Bangladesh, but not too much. Given the quality of treatment, the experience is much better here. Most importantly, doctors, unlike the Bangladeshi ones, don’t prescribe unnecessary medication.”

Experts welcome better facilities, but emphasises local improvement

Dr Benazir Ahmed, public health expert and former Director of Disease Control at the Directorate General of Health Services, said, “There are two sides to the medical treatment situation in China now, good and bad.

China offers very good and fast-quality medical services. However, in reality, it is not desirable for our people to seek treatment abroad unnecessarily.”

Regarding China’s promotion of medical tourism as well as the BRI initiatives to establish hospitals in Bangladesh, he said, “That’s good. If reputable Chinese companies establish such healthcare facilities in Bangladesh, it would be beneficial.

It would help build public trust in our country’s healthcare system, and more institutions could emerge as a result.

“As a consequence, our foreign currency outflow would decrease, and gradually, the quality of healthcare in Bangladesh would improve.

If such centres are established, the government should actively collaborate with them to ensure that the quality of healthcare in Bangladesh is enhanced.”