Hospital network sees medical tourist numbers increasing

An online network of hospitals is turning the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region into an attractive destination for medical tourists from Central Asia, health officials said.

The system, launched in the summer, allows patients seeking treatment overseas to consult Chinese doctors for free and book other services, such as flights, airport pickups, accommodation and even city tours.

Anar, 37, spent two weeks receiving treatment for migraines and dizziness in her native Almaty, Kazakhstan, before she used the network to connect with the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi. Doctors advised her to travel to China for treatment, which she did in September last year.