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Thread: Moving to Shenzhen....HELP!!

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[quote=APAULT,353797]There is a Carrefour in Shenzhen so you will be able to buy cheeses and French bread, but there will not be as much variety as you are used to.

Medication is always a bit more difficult but most medications are available.  The biggest difficulties  are  the lower level of knowledge in pharmacies, having many small pharmacies .with the same limited range, Chinese names in place of the international generic names and a different attitude to medicine and health care compared with the west (ie often a preference for Chinese herbally derived medication, and a strong orientation towards drip fed antibiotics).

My advice is to get a Chinese to help find the Chinese name and show that to the pharmacies.  if you cannot get what you are looking for go to a hospital: this is where the main GP's are located.  You will need a Chinese friend to assist.  First you register (maybe 2 rmb, and pay a fee to see a doctor, 3 rmb) and you get directed to a suitable doctor.  Your local help will then push in on a doctor seeing a patient and cut accross the consulation and arrange for you to be seen.  The doctor may examine you (much more publicly than you are used to) or if you can show an existing pack of medication, just prescribe for you.  You then go to the hospital pharmacy and agaiunb push in to get your script accepted.  Prices for generic medicne are very low, for international brands you can expect to pay around western prices.  I have been through this procedure in at least 4 hospitals and one small local health centre and have generally been satisfied with the outcomes.  If you want something closer to western style and standard, I am sure there is at least one international standard hospital in Shenzhen, but expect to pay top prices -  I have no expereince of these as my budget doesn't run to their prices.

If you are new to China I recommend you buy some anti-diahorrea pills.  The local ones which are usually black, look like rabbit droppings, and smell strongly of creosote (!!!) are very effective.[/quote]

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