Medical Guide for Foreigners Travelling in Xiamen

Common travel health issues and public facilities:

Seafood poisoning: Xiamen First Hospital, 55 Zhenhai Rd, Siming District. Average wait about 1.5 hours; cost 25 to 60 USD.

Heatstroke: Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), 201 Hubin South Rd, Siming District. Average wait about 1 hour; cost 20 to 50 USD.

Beach-related injuries: Xiamen First Hospital, 55 Zhenhai Rd, Siming District. Average wait about 45 minutes; cost 30 to 80 USD.

Respiratory infection: The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College, 566 Shengguang Rd, Jimei District. Average wait about 2 hours; cost 15 to 40 USD.

Key notes: All listed facilities are public Grade 3A hospitals. They accept cash and Alipay only, with no international insurance billing.

Emergency protocols:

Call 120 and request a transfer to Xiamen First Hospital ER (the best-equipped public ER). Foreigner-friendly option: Xiamen First Hospital.

Pediatric care (limited public options):

Xiamen Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital - General Pediatrics. Basic care, Mandarin only.

Xiamen First Hospital - Emergency. 24/7 service, no specialists.

Cost and capability comparison (Xiamen public vs Shanghai public):

Doctor consultation: 15 USD in Xiamen vs 25 USD in Shanghai (about 40% lower).

X-ray: 30 USD in Xiamen vs 45 USD in Shanghai (about 33% lower).

Specialist access: limited in Xiamen vs full-range in Shanghai.

Must-save contacts:

Police medical assistance: dial 110 and say "waiji yiliao" (外籍医疗).

Pro tips:

For language help, use the "Xiamen Health" WeChat mini-program for symptom translation (CN to EN) and hospital wait times. To avoid crowds, visit hospitals between 1 and 3 PM (the post-lunch lull) and skip Monday mornings.