In memory of the great AIDS prevention hero, Ms. Gao Yaojie

On December 10, Dr. Gao Yaojie, a 95-year-old AIDS prevention activist and the "whistleblower" of the AIDS epidemic in Henan, China, passed away. Reflecting on her life, I share some memories and perspectives to honor this remarkable woman from central China.

I first heard about her in the early 2000s through the radio during a period of relatively open public discourse. Media outlets, including China's "Central People's Broadcasting Station," reported on her actions. Her resistance against opaque government practices and her advocacy for the people left a profound impact on my values and life choices during my formative years.

Ms. Gao, born in Shandong Province, spent about 70 years of her life, from the age of 12 until 2009, in Henan Province, where she studied, worked, lived, and fought against the AIDS epidemic. As a fellow Henan native, I felt a strong connection to her and paid close attention to her efforts regarding the Henan AIDS "blood disaster."

In the 1990s and 2000s, despite rapid economic development in China, many people still lived in poverty due to the aftermath of decades of conflict and political movements. The farmers in Henan, a major agricultural province, faced particularly dire circumstances. I witnessed firsthand the toil of rural farmers, struggling with meager living conditions, including the lack of basic necessities like meat and proper clothing, and the challenges of affording education.

Against this backdrop, the Henan "blood disaster" unfolded. Some Henan officials colluded with medical institutions, encouraging farmers to sell their blood for profit. Officials and medical professionals exploited this, taking the majority of the proceeds. Poor healthcare conditions in China at the time led to cross-contamination of the AIDS virus through shared blood transfusion equipment, resulting in a widespread infection among farmers. Issues like drug use and sex work further exacerbated the AIDS epidemic.

During the spread of AIDS, the local government in Henan, like many other levels of government in China, suppressed information about AIDS transmission. They prohibited affected individuals from seeking justice, even confining AIDS patients to designated "AIDS villages," leaving them to fend for themselves. Lack of basic medical care and support led to thousands of deaths and suicides, with survivors enduring a miserable existence. This concealment also resulted in a lack of public understanding and awareness of AIDS, hindering prevention and treatment efforts.

The majority affected were men, women, and children from rural areas in Henan. They faced a fate similar to their ancestors who perished in famines, floods, droughts, and wars over the centuries on this troubled land—dying silently and humiliated, buried in the yellow soil. Some AIDS patients, especially women, were stigmatized as "prostitutes" and accused of dying from "dirty diseases," enduring a double blow of discrimination during their lives and after death. Unfortunately, both government officials and healthcare workers largely turned a blind eye, and some even profited from the dirty blood trade. Despite a few conscientious officials and healthcare workers, silence prevailed.

It was during this time that Dr. Gao Yaojie, a physician working in a key hospital in Henan, bravely stood up for the powerless, those without a voice, who were infected by selling blood due to government corruption and enticement, facing discrimination and suppression. Dr. Gao, using her medical expertise, informed the Chinese central government, the World Health Organization, and domestic and international media about the severity of the AIDS epidemic in Henan. She highlighted the despair of AIDS patients and their families, emphasizing the urgent need for transparent AIDS prevention.

However, she faced immense resistance. The authoritarian regime prohibited the spread of negative information that could damage its image, refusing to acknowledge responsibility for encouraging blood-selling among farmers, leading to infections and uncontrolled AIDS spread. Dr. Gao endured house arrest, intimidation, and harassment but persisted in speaking out, even when pressured to stand alone after her friends and family left her.

Dr. Gao's cries eventually reached more people, and conscientious individuals both in China and abroad began supporting her, providing her with more platforms and a louder voice. In contrast to the Henan local government's concealment and suppression of the AIDS epidemic, the relatively open-minded Chinese central government, influenced by Dr. Gao's relentless efforts, gradually recognized the severity of the AIDS problem in Henan. They dispatched investigative teams, assisted AIDS patients, and worked towards destigmatizing AIDS. Wu Yi, the State Councilor and Minister of Health at the time, made significant contributions to AIDS prevention.

Thousands of AIDS patients received treatment, avoiding death, and more people became aware of AIDS, preventing further infections. While Dr. Gao saved countless lives and made significant contributions to AIDS prevention in China, she did not receive favorable treatment from the government. Even after the Chinese government acknowledged the AIDS issue she spoke of, she continued to be monitored and harassed as a "stability maintenance target," making it difficult for her to live and work normally. After enduring many hardships, she had to leave her homeland and relocate to the United States.

Regarding the specifics of the Henan AIDS issue, Dr. Gao's activism, and the persecution she faced, there are numerous reports that provide more details.

Dr. Gao's actions exemplify qualities and virtues desperately needed in present-day China: truth-seeking, courage, responsibility, and compassion. In an environment where self-interest, lies, and apathy prevail, achieving these seemingly normal societal actions becomes exceptionally challenging. Dr. Gao, like a beacon in the darkness, brought a glimmer of hope to a world shrouded in darkness. Silence in the face of evil makes one an accomplice. A righteous person who speaks out surpasses the beauty of angels.

Over two decades have passed since the Henan AIDS blood disaster, and the people on the vast lands of mainland China, especially in Henan, continue to endure various hardships. Whether it's the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown policies, unfinished buildings, water and drought disasters, or unfair distribution of educational resources, the people suffer. Contemporary China faces numerous challenges and urgently needs reform.

Sadly, the prevailing silence of the people, coupled with the lack of transparency in national politics and policies, indicates a media presence even more absent than during the blood disaster. Faced with injustice, people are reluctant to speak out, choosing to focus on their own concerns. Particularly among social elites with higher status and control over resources and discourse, apathy towards public affairs and indifference to vulnerable groups exacerbate the cynicism and social Darwinism in Chinese society.

This is heartbreaking but also inevitable. It further underscores the greatness of Dr. Gao Yaojie—a hero who emerges in adversity, speaks for those afraid to, and pleads for the well-being of all. In times of great drought, one looks for a rainbow; in times of national crisis, one longs for virtuous leaders. Today's China needs heroes like Dr. Gao Yaojie more than ever.

Beyond heroes, what is even more crucial is the improvement of the political system, the establishment of democratic rule of law, and the enhancement of social security. These are the fundamentals for achieving national rejuvenation, prosperity, and the happiness of the people. However, in the visible short to medium term, I am quite pessimistic about whether China can initiate reforms and overcome its challenges.

Even though Ms. Gao Yaojie has resided in the United States for over a decade, she has never forgotten her homeland and its people. Arriving in the U.S. in her eighties, she tirelessly wrote, spoke, and engaged in discussions with various individuals, considering the advocacy for global attention and resolution of China's AIDS problems and various issues of concealment, dereliction of duty, and corruption by Chinese authorities as her top priority.

The people of her hometown in the Central Plains region have endured insults and oppression by various rulers and outsiders for decades, even over a millennium. They have been deprived of rights and dignity, often looked down upon by their compatriots. Many of the people in the Central Plains, having suffered insults and damage, tend to resign themselves to fate, living like the walking dead, tolerating exploitation. However, Ms. Gao did not harbor insults or disdain, never giving up on her country, and instead, she treated the people of her hometown like children. In this aspect alone, Ms. Gao's virtue surpasses the heavens, her spirit is purer than water, and her patriotism and love for the people burn more fervently than blazing fire.

Until the eve of her passing, she still cared deeply for the people of her hometown. In letters to friends, she expressed her concern for the "AIDS orphans" who lost their parents to AIDS and hoped they would receive care and grow up in good health. In her will, she stated her wish to have her ashes scattered into the Yellow River. She never forgot her homeland and her country.

The memoir written by Ms. Gao vividly recounts her life journey through the establishment of the Republic of China, the Japanese invasion, the Chinese Civil War, the founding of the People's Republic of China, famines, the Cultural Revolution, economic reforms, and the transitions between the Deng, Jiang, Hu, and Wen eras. Her recollections are precious, revealing the objective reality of history, whether it's describing the positive impact of Republic of China cultural and educational development alongside the ravages of war, or the poignant memories of the devastating Great Famine and Cultural Revolution. Her life is a documentary of the hardships endured by the Chinese people over the century, an embodiment and testimony of the resilience of Chinese women in the face of storms and adversity.

The person has passed away, but her spirit lives on. I am proud that my hometown has such a heroine, and I am humbled, recognizing that I lack the courage and academic depth displayed by Ms. Gao. Her deeds and character deeply impressed me since my childhood, and I believe they must have touched the hearts of countless fellow countrymen. Ms. Gao Yaojie's soul is immortal, and her deeds and spirit will inspire generations of Chinese descendants, especially those from the Central Plains, to strive and dedicate themselves to the prosperity and progress of the motherland and the well-being of the people.

(Notably, during her career in AIDS prevention, Ms. Gao consistently upheld a spirit of scientific rationality and professionalism. She explicitly rejected unscientific practices, such as "Traditional Chinese Medicine treating AIDS," which is praiseworthy. While she may have had some areas where her expertise was not entirely complete, such as her opposition to using condoms for AIDS prevention, as pointed out by science writer Fang Zhouzi, she generally maintained a foundation in science and professionalism, avoiding misguided paths. This is especially valuable in a China where pseudoscience is rampant, and various official and private "treatments for AIDS" scams abound.)

(In August and October of this year, I showcased posters highlighting Ms. Gao Yaojie's achievements at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, and at the Frankfurt Book Fair, urging the world to pay attention to this heroine fighting against the opaque regime and promoting AIDS prevention in China.)