Chongqing is a large city in southwestern China. It’s municipality has a population of about 30 million people. Due to its size, Chongqing offers a wide array of expat health insurance and high-quality medical care for treatment. Of course, trying to navigate the world of health insurance in a city with so many available options for coverage can be a bit daunting. To make your life easier, you can click here to get a no-obligation health insurance comparison.
Chongqing served as a municipality under the Republic of China government. It also served a capital during the Second Sino-Japanese war. At the time, Chongqing was listed as one of the four “anti-fascist” cities along with Moscow, London, and Washington D.C. Clearly, Chongqing has a significant history and has a lot of culture. It is a major hub for manufacturing and transportation. The Economic Intelligence Unit described Chongqing as one of China’s “13 emerging megalopolises.”
Geographically, Chongqing is located between the Tibetan Plateau and The Yangtze River. The city is surrounded by many mountains. To the east are the Wu Mountains, to the north are the Daba Mountains, to the south are the Dalou mountains, and the Wuling mountains sit southeast of the city. Because of the mountains, natural bridges have been formed. Most famously, the Long Shuixia gap. This has become a big tourist destination.
The climate in Chongqing is humid subtropical. Throughout the year it experiences very high humidity. All months have an average humidity of 75% or higher. The summers are long and often are regarded as the most hot in China. Interestingly because of its location in the Sichuan basin, Chongqing gets little sunshine. It is sunny there only 40 days a year. This makes it one of the least sunny places in China. Chongqing is also known as “fog city” because it gets over 100 days of fog a year.
Hospitals and Medical Facilities in Chongqing
As seen by its population of 30 million people, Chongqing is no small city. That being said, there are not as many expats there as in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and other large Chinese cities. There are four places in Chongqing that can offer medical treatment catered towards expats.
One example of a hospital for expats is The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University- Jin Shan hospital. This hospital has a VIP ward where English service is available. They specialize in internal medicine and general surgery. If one wants OBGYN services, they are only available in the VIP ward. For non-VIP procedures, no appointment is needed. It is important to note that the VIP ward is more costly.
Another Option for expats is The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. This hospital is a great choice for critical care medicine, neurosurgery, oncology, and other difficult procedures. English service is available. Appointments must be made in advance. Both options listed offer excellent medical treatment and care and are great choices for expats living in Chongqing.
Expats should also recognize that some hospitals in Chongqing only accept certain insurance providers, so to avoid higher costs, they should do some research before choosing a provider or receiving treatment. Listed below is a full list of hospitals and clinics recommended for expats in Chongqing.
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University- Jin Shan hospital
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
- Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
- Global Doctor Chongqing Clinic
Health Issues for Expats in Chongqing
According to the World Health Organization, top concerns for expats in Chongqing are the low air quality and low water quality due to elevated pollution levels in the city. The air pollution and water pollution levels are both categorized as high. If one is exposed to high levels of air pollution over a sustained period of time, their respiratory system can become inflamed and irritated. This can negatively affect your health. One way to prevent this is to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth on days where pollution is very high and there is a severe AQI. These are things that affect expats and locals alike and should be considered when deciding to live there.
As mentioned before, there is water pollution in Chongqing. Because if the lower water quality in Chongqing, it is inadvisable to drink water directly from the tap. Though the tap water is not safe to consume, it is safe for washing and handling food. It is advisable if one is going to spend a significant amount of time anywhere in China, they get a water filter. They are relatively cheap and easy to upkeep, in addition, you save money and the environment by not only buying bottled water. Overall, as long as one is careful about where they get their food and water from, Chongqing is a very safe city to live in.
