Kunming, the capital city of China鈥檚 southern Yunnan province, is positioning itself as a potential medical tourism hub for Bangladeshis, offering quality healthcare at lower costs.
While Yunnan province has expanded health cooperation with Bangladesh to improve access, strengthen cross-border disease control and foster people-to-people ties, challenges such as visa delays and language barriers have slowed progress.
Officials from hospitals said that the province鈥檚 international medical services provide world-class care at affordable rates, with treatment costs often far below those in some other Asian countries, making Kunming an increasingly attractive option for Bangladeshi patients seeking advanced and cost-effective medical care.
According to Yunan Province Health Commission deputy director Wang Jiankun, the province has developed a pilot plan and guidelines for international medical services.
Five leading hospitals have created dedicated departments for international patients, published official contact channels and assigned staff to respond promptly to inquiries.
The hospitals are Yunnan First People鈥檚 Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital, Yunnan Cancer Hospital and Zhongshan Hospital of Kunming.
According to the Yunnan Health Commission, since March, the hospitals have received 1,313 emails from Bangladesh, issued 37 medical treatment certificates, and welcomed 67 patients.
Previously, invitation letters were required for visa applications, but the system has been refined to provide certificates specifically for medical treatment, simplifying the process.
Several officials of the hospitals said that language barriers were being addressed through volunteer translators from Bangladeshi exchange students, English-speaking doctors and professional interpreters, with medical documents also available in English.
They said that cultural needs were being met by providing halal-compliant meals, Bangladeshi cuisine, and prayer facilities, while international patients were also offered services such as airport pick-up and orientation.
In recent years, Yunnan鈥檚 health sector has worked closely with Bangladesh on joint initiatives, including the 鈥楲ove Heart Journey鈥� programme, a targeted medical mission focusing on congenital heart disease in children.
Since 2024, teams of medical experts from Yunnan have screened, diagnosed and treated Bangladeshi children, with 720 undergoing successful surgery, according to data from the Yunnan Health Commission.
鈥楾his year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh, as well as a year dedicated to people-to-people exchanges. We are committed to building long-term cooperation that delivers real healthcare benefits,鈥� Yunnan Health Commission deputy director Wang said at a meeting with a Bangladesh media delegation on August 7 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University.
The 23-member Bangladesh media delegation, led by interim government chief adviser鈥檚 deputy press secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, visited Kunming in August 6-9 to review the city鈥檚 medical facilities.
Wang said that in line with provincial directives, a 22-member delegation from Yunnan recently visited Bangladesh to promote medical and educational exchanges, donate medical supplies, establish joint workstations and launch international projects.
The visit laid a solid foundation for deeper China鈥揃angladesh healthcare collaboration, he said.
Officials of the pilot hospitals said that costs varied depending on the complexity of treatment, medical devices used and whether surgery is required, but prices were often significantly lower than those in countries such as Thailand and Malaysia.
Hospital authorities said that the typical journey for Bangladeshi patients began with contacting hospitals via email or phone, submitting applications and undergoing initial evaluations.
They added that eligible patients received medical treatment certificates to support their visa applications and that pre-arrival communication allowed doctors to be prepared, although final treatment plans were confirmed only after in-person consultations and necessary tests.
Yunnan Health Commission deputy director Wang said that despite strong interest, the number of patients actually traveling remained modest, as some inquiries were solely for consultation.
He said that authorities were working with agencies and travel partners to attract more genuine cases and emphasised that the province鈥檚 efforts extended beyond medical treatment to include trust-building, cultural respect and knowledge-sharing.
Chief adviser鈥檚 deputy press secretary Azad said that the interim government, which assumed office on August 8 past year following the 2024 July uprising, started exploring alternatives beyond India, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia for citizens to get timely and cost-effective treatment.
In January 2025, during the foreign adviser鈥檚 visit to China, Bangladesh formally proposed opening medical services in Kunming to Bangladeshi patients.
In March, the first delegation that included prospective patients, doctors, journalists and tour operators visited the city under Chinese government patronage, sparking growing interest in its healthcare services.
Azad said that during a February meeting in Beijing between chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Chinese president Xi Jinping, plans were discussed to strengthen medical cooperation.
In May, the Chinese government officially opened all government and private hospitals to Bangladeshi patients and introduced a green channel to expedite visa processing.
The Bangladesh consulate has also requested special accommodation for patients and their families, while direct flights between Kunming and Chattogram and multiple Dhaka鈥揔unming flights are planned to ease travel.
