First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou

Based on public sources, checked on 24 Oct 2026; not confirmed by the hospital. Phone numbers, hours and procedures can change; confirm them with the hospital before you travel.

Two international services, far apart

Nansha is on the Pearl River estuary, a long way from central Guangzhou, and going to the wrong campus could cost you most of a day. Choose one, and keep the full address of that campus with your booking.

Yuexiu: the Private Medical Service & Healthcare Center

The English site's Patient Care section describes a Private Medical Service & Healthcare Center founded in 1993 for international private medical service and upgraded in 2014. It has an outpatient department, three inpatient units and a medical cosmetic center. The page says more than 30 specialists are on duty in the outpatient department each day, chosen from over 500, and that patients can book by phone or online.

The inpatient units are on the top floors of the New Surgery Building. One page gives the 22nd to 25th floors, another the 23rd to 25th, with extensions for each unit on (020) 8775 5766. The medical cosmetic center is separate, on the east wing of the 1st floor of Building 3.

For booking, the "International Medicine" page gives the registration number and hours above; a separate English "Make an appointment" page adds the email address [email protected], a public mail-service address listed on the hospital's own page. Neither page explains what documents a foreign patient needs to register. The hospital also appears, marked as having English-speaking staff, on the medical facility list the UK government updated in May 2025, with the numbers (020) 8775 5766 and 8733 2200 and an administrative email.

The same center runs the health check-up line, (020) 8733 4605, and a medical cosmetic center. This profile does not cover cosmetic procedures; we describe access, not treatments or results.

Nansha: the International Medical Center

The Nansha campus page describes a center that opened in 2023, with about 33,000 square metres of space and 150 planned beds, run as a "hospital within a hospital" with its own outpatient and inpatient areas, imaging, endoscopy and operating theatres. It lists multilingual service, a commercial insurance direct-settlement platform, remote consultation with partner institutions abroad, use of medicines and medical devices already used in Hong Kong and Macao, and a pier and helipad.

Several of those claims cannot be checked from the outside, and some depend on your condition and on rules for each product. The center's booking information is the bigger gap. The page's appointment notes describe real-name booking with a Chinese resident ID card, chip medical-insurance card, citizen card or household register, and do not mention passports. Its department contact field reads "no data". Booking opens seven days ahead. None of that tells a foreign visitor how to register, so ask the campus switchboard to connect you to the international center and ask directly.

The pilot

Both the Yuexiu and Nansha campuses are named in the first round of Guangdong's international medical service pilot (March 2026). As described by the provincial health commission in press reports, pilot services are for self-paying patients or those with international commercial insurance, are outside basic medical insurance, may be priced by the hospital, and are to be kept physically separate from basic care. Expect international-service prices to differ from general-clinic prices, and ask for an estimate in writing. The payment guide covers cards and wallets for visitors.

Languages at each campus

Nansha lists multilingual service; Yuexiu's English pages do not name languages, while the UK list marks English-speaking staff. For a call in Chinese, Guangzhou's 960169 multilingual line offers English interpretation at any hour; see our Guangzhou guide for how three-way calls work.

Emergency care is not covered

Neither international service describes emergency care. In an emergency in Guangzhou, call 120.

Ask before you travel

Email [email protected] for Yuexiu; for Nansha, call (020) 8999 8001 and ask for the international center.

1. Which campus should I attend for [care], Yuexiu or Nansha?
2. Can a passport be used to register, and can the booking be made before I arrive?
3. Does the doctor speak English? If not, who interprets?
4. What would the visit cost under the international service? Please put the estimate in writing.
5. Is [insurer] billed directly, and what must the insurer send first?

Unconfirmed points

The hospital has not confirmed this profile. Both campuses are in the pilot list on our Guangzhou guide, alongside Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, which belongs to the same university. Shenzhen hospitals in the same pilot, such as the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, are on the Shenzhen page. Compare all cities on the cities page and find every profile on the hospital index. Read the visa guide and the guide to preparing for a hospital visit. Price data we can source is on the costs page; our method is set out on the verification page and in the editorial policy; and the treatments page, pricing and about us explain what else we do.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the international service of Sun Yat-sen University's First Affiliated Hospital?

At the main campus, on the east side of the 1st floor of the New Surgery Building, 58 Zhongshan Er Road; and separately at the International Medical Center on the Nansha campus.

How do I book the First Affiliated Hospital's international outpatient service?

For Yuexiu, call (020) 8733 2200 ext. 8225 on weekdays or email [email protected]. Nansha publishes no direct contact for its center; use the switchboard, (020) 8999 8001.

Can foreigners book the Nansha International Medical Center with a passport?

The booking notes list Chinese identity documents only. Ask the center how passport holders register.

Is Sun Yat-sen University's First Affiliated Hospital in Guangdong's pilot?

Yes, both its Yuexiu and Nansha campuses are in the March 2026 first round.

Sources

1. Guangdong names its first 25 international medical service pilot hospitals, 21st Century Business Herald (21jingji.com), 27 Mar 2026. Read 20 Oct 2026. Full list of 25; pilot cycle 2026-2027; periodic review and exit mechanism.
2. Contact us: Guangzhou Multilingual Public Service Hotline 960169, Guangzhou Municipal Government (Guangzhou International). Read 24 Oct 2026. English 24/7; Japanese and Korean 9:00-21:00; three-way calls to 12345, 110, 120, 119.
3. International Medical Center (Nansha), The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Nansha campus (official website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Opened 2023; 150 beds; commercial insurance direct settlement; multilingual; Hengshun 2nd Road, Hengli.
4. International Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (official English website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Registration (020) 87332200-8225; weekday hours; 58 Zhongshan Er Road. Footer 2017.
5. List of medical facilities in China, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, 28 May 2025. Read 24 Oct 2026. Includes First Affiliated Hospital SYSU with English-speaking staff; no endorsement.
6. Make an appointment (Private Medical Service & Healthcare Center), The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (official English website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Outpatient east of 1F New Surgery Building; hours; registration ext. 8225; [email protected]; inpatient 23rd-25th floors; cosmetic center.
7. Patient Care: Private Medical Service & Healthcare Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (official English website). Read 24 Oct 2026. Founded 1993, upgraded 2014; 30+ specialists daily from 500+; inpatient 22nd-25th floors; booking by internet or telephone.

Related

• Guangzhou: medical care for visitors from abroadGuangzhou for international patients: 17 of Guangdong's 25 pilot hospitals, the 960169 interpreting line, Baiyun and Nansha entry ports, and what to check.
• Which visa do you need for medical treatment in China?Compare transit, short-stay and Hainan entry policies for medical travel, with official sources and questions to confirm with your visa office.
• How to pay for medical care in China as a visitorHow visitors pay Chinese hospitals: mobile payment limits since 2024, international cards, cash, insurance direct billing and guarantee letters.
• Preparing for a hospital visit in China: documents and stepsWhat to bring to a Chinese hospital as a visitor: passport, translated records, insurance letters. How booking and registration work, and what to ask.