China preparations: Foreigner health examination

I'd known for some time that I would have to have a series of tests done in order to gain my residence permit in my first 30 days of entering China. Any foreigner there for more than a few months needs to get this, it's like a kind of visa, and the health test is compulsory, whether you do it in your home country or once you arrive in China.

Last summer, when taking part in the Nanjing summer programme, I remember Elliott, a student starting his year abroad, having to go to and from the hospital for these various tests without much of an idea what was going on. I decided that I didn't really like the idea of that and would try to get them done in the UK where I trust the health system a bit more and can understand the language! My friend Izzy had had to do it to even apply for her scholarship (different scholarship to mine) and it had cost her £230 which didn't seem too bad considering what the test involves. She did it back in Southampton and it had taken about 3 weeks to get all the tests done and receive the results. 

As part of the information I got from Xiamen University through the post, I needed to either get the tests done in the UK by printing off the "PHYSICAL EXAMNATION RECORD FOR FORERGNER" form, getting it all filled in and bringing it along to the registration as well as the test reports to submit. However, there would still be a 60RMB (roughly £6) charge for verifying the records. Knowing that Izzy had done it all through her GP in Southampton, I went along to my local GP on Thursday morning to enquire. 

I had no idea how hard it would be. Firstly, I was no longer registered there as I was registered in Southampton instead, so I would have to re-register and wait for at least 2 weeks for my records to come through so that they could fill in some of the parts of the form. I agreed and filled in the forms, alcohol questionnaire and all, to register again at the GP I'd been going to since the age of 8. The receptionists wanted to ask the doctors about what to do with the form so I left it with them. 

My form probably provided the entertainment for the day! It's a two-page grid in English and Chinese requiring basic information such as name, sex, date of birth, address, nationality etc. along with a photo. It wants to know your blood type, height, weight and blood pressure which all seems fair enough. However, it goes on to ask if you've had any of a list of diseases including typhus fever, poliomyelitis and typhoid and paratyphoid fever as well as eight others, the majority of which I've never heard of. The next question is similar to do with "disease or disorders endangering the public order and security". This list include toxicomania, mental confusion and three forms of psychosis: manic, paranoid and hallucinatory. Then comes a series of boxes with one word in them: development, nourishment, neck, vision, corrected vision, eyes, ears, nose,... etc. Not really sure what the doctor's supposed to put in those, would a simple "OK" do? The next page is for the tests including chest x-ray, ECG and blood tests for HIV and syphilis. Finally the doctor needs to sign to say that cholera, yellow fever, plague, leprosy, AIDS, psychosis, venereal disease and opening lung tuberculosis were not found during the examination. Seems very thorough considering I'm not going to be there that long!

Anyway, I got a phonecall back from the receptionist later in the day to tell me what the doctors had said. Bad news. Apparently they would be able to fill in about half of the form (once the records from Southampton had been transferred) but that I would have to get the x-ray, ECG and blood tests privately, they couldn't refer me for it like Izzy's GP had done. I looked into getting it done at a local private hospital but it would have cost about £600 so really wasn't worth it! I told the receptionist on the phone about how my friend had got it done in Southampton and she genuinely suggested to me that I go down there to get it done. Ridiculous. 

It seems now that my only real option is to get it done once I arrive in China. From the information Xiamen have given me, it looks fairly organised. It's going to cost 550RMB (about £57) to get it done over there at the Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. I will have to go along on the 17th September with my passport, 4 photos (what is their obsession with photos? I already have to take 10 to the registration and they're going to take another one of me for my e-card) and the money. I'm not allowed to eat or drink anything before in the morning before the blood test. 

Hopefully everything will be fine, it does sound quite organised! It would have been nice to get it done and out of the way before I went though.

Here are some photos of what I hoped would be my only visit to a Chinese hospital in Nanjing last summer. Taken by my friend, Jean. 

Hospital toilets, nice and hygienic!

Room we waited in while my friend has a CT scan

It's a long story...