Li Huanying said:
"can cure the patient's disease,
Is the greatest happiness in my life. "
Author: Li Lulu
Editor: Chen Jiali
Left, a "war hemp" soldier who devoted his life to eradicating leprosy.
1October 26th, 165438+ Beijing Friendship Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University issued an obituary. Li Huanying, a world-renowned expert on leprosy control, died in Beijing on October 25th, 2022 at the age of 10/kloc-0.
A year ago, Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China announced Li Huanying's advanced deeds and awarded her the title of "model of the times". In the same year, the All-China Women's Federation awarded Li Huanying the title of "National March 8th Red Flag Bearer".
Since then, the story of the old man has entered people's sight.
Li Huanying's life is full of legends: he spent a wandering study career in the war years, once served as an official of the World Health Organization, and then gave up his luxurious life and resolutely returned to New China, struggling in the front line of leprosy prevention and treatment research, witnessing China's complete walk out of the leprosy era.
Last year, when global person reporter met Li Huanying, a centenarian, she shared her work and daily life. Alone, she always believes that curing the patient's illness is "the greatest happiness in this life."
"I don't want to live in vain"
Even though he is over 100 years old, there is still no word "retirement" in Li Huanying's dictionary.
In recent years, in the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Beijing Friendship Hospital, people can always see a busy figure of Li Huanying with silver hair. She wears a white coat and sometimes sits at a desk full of thick materials, wears glasses and reads literature with a magnifying glass; Sometimes I will listen to colleagues in the leprosy research group to report their work and give them guidance.
At work, Li Huanying seems very focused. Although she is a hundred years old, she is full of energy and speaks clearly, just like a soldier with high morale.
After work, Li Huanying will go to the vegetable market to buy some fruits. "If you want two peaches, you can't eat them all." She said to the fruit stall owner. Usually, she buys apples, milk and coffee without interruption. She told global person reporter: "Apple+coffee, this is my healthy breakfast."
At 7 o'clock every morning, Li Huanying makes himself a cup of coffee, peels an apple, and starts his day with the smell of milk and coffee.
She doesn't need a babysitter. She eats breakfast by herself, washes dishes by herself, and often shares her longevity secret with her colleagues: "Eat enough and sleep enough."
Hospital staff told reporters that Li Huanying is a person, usually living alone. Because of the epidemic, considering her age, the hospital sent her an assistant to cooperate with her work and life during the day. Li Huanying's niece also hired a nurse to take care of her at night.
Data map.
Living in Europe, America and other countries and working in WHO make Li Huanying speak fluent English and German. With white hair, she received many scholars from all over the world who came to China to exchange experiences in leprosy prevention and treatment, and told them about her life experience.
"I don't ask much, life is very good. I don't need to brew coffee beans, just make coffee. I never complain when I go to the countryside, nor do I complain when I roll over. I found my own life, but I also got satisfaction from it. It is also a waste to sit at home reading novels and watching TV. I don't want to live in vain, I am willing to do something more meaningful as much as I can. " Li Huanying said, "It is the greatest happiness in my life to cure the patient's illness."
"Female doctor who is not afraid of leprosy"
Li Huanying first met lepers in the early 1970s. She was sent to a leprosy village in Jiangsu Province and witnessed the tragic experience of leprosy patients with her own eyes.
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Leprosy Bacillus, which mainly invades people's skin and peripheral nerves. It has a history of more than 3,000 years, and the patient's face is disfigured, his hands and feet are deformed and discriminated against.
When New China was founded, 520,000 compatriots in China still suffered from leprosy. For a long time, because there is no effective drug to treat leprosy, people suffering from leprosy will be isolated to closed places until they die.
This situation deeply hurt Li Huanying's heart, and she was determined to conquer leprosy.
From 65438 to 0978, Li Huanying was transferred to the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Beijing Friendship Hospital. Since then, she has devoted herself to the prevention and research of leprosy.
Li Huanying in his youth.
1Just after New Year's Day in 983, Li Huanying came to Yunnan with drugs approved by WHO, and carried out pilot treatment in three leprosy villages, Huiqing Village, Mengbang Town and Nanxing Village, Menglun Town, Xishuangbanna.
In Mengla, Li Huanying came into contact with hundreds of lepers, large and small. Among them, a patient named Dao Jianxin came into Li Huanying's sight.
Dao Jianxin used to be the deputy secretary of Mengla County Committee, with remarkable achievements and promising future. But because of leprosy, he was forced to leave his job, divorced his wife, and went to the remote and desolate leprosy village alone, isolated from the patients here. For more than ten years, Dao Jianxin watched his limbs rot bit by bit, his disability became heavier and heavier, and he fell into despair.
The arrival of Li Huanying didn't give Jian new hope. He and the villagers thought, "If leprosy can be cured, the buffalo horn can also be straightened."
In order to gain the trust of patients, Li Huanying took the initiative to contact them. When examining the patient, Li Huanying did not wear any protective clothing, and even took the initiative to shake hands and hug the patient. When he was thirsty, he scooped water from the patient's house to eat.
Her behavior shocked everyone. Before that, no one dared to enter the leprosy village without wearing protective clothing, let alone shake hands with leprosy patients. But Li Huanying is not afraid. She said, "Leprosy is not so contagious. If doctors are afraid, how can patients trust them? " She even tested the leprosy antigen on her own skin.
Li Huanying's behavior really dispelled the patient's fears. Before long, the whole leprosy village knew that there was a female doctor in Beijing who was not afraid of leprosy. She gained the trust of everyone. Dao Jianxin took the initiative to assist her in the ideological work of the villagers and called on everyone to actively cooperate with the treatment.
The patient called her "mother" after she recovered.
At that time, drugs approved by WHO usually took six or seven years to cure patients internationally, and many patients could not take drugs for a long time.
In order to find a better treatment method, Li Huanying took the lead in launching a special action plan to eliminate leprosy by short-term combined chemotherapy after 24 months of drug withdrawal.
Li Huanying lived in Mengla County for a long time for fear that the patient would stop treatment. She works with primary health workers to publicize compliance with medication rules, and often gives medication to patients in person.
After 27 months, all the patients were cured without any recurrence. The villagers rushed to Li Huanying and called her "Mom" with tears in their eyes.
1990, Mengla County took off the hat of Leprosy Village, among which Nanxing Village was officially included in Menglun Town, which was renamed as "Man Nanxing" in Dai language, meaning "New Shanzhai".
Most leprosy villages are at risk of high mountains and roads. Many leprosy villages and the outside world have almost no way out. Sometimes they can only hang upside down on the river and take the cableway, but Li Huanying is not afraid.
Li Huanying hung upside down on the river and took a cableway to Leprosy Village.
During the visit, she also suffered many car accidents. At the most dangerous time, the car rolled down the hillside, and Li Huanying fell out of the window. He was in a coma for a long time in the snow, with seven broken ribs and seven stitches in his head.
On another occasion, Li Huanying capsized while crossing the river in a canoe. After being fished ashore, she smiled wryly: "I am as fat as a ball, where can I sink?"
Li Huanying conducted a field study in leprosy village.
For more than 30 years, Li Huanying has almost visited the leprosy-prone areas in Yunguichuan.
Thanks to the joint efforts of workers like Li Huanying, the number of leprosy patients in China has dropped to less than 1 10,000, and the annual recurrence rate is only 0.03%, which is far below the international standard that the annual recurrence rate is less than 1%.
In 2007, China announced to the world that after more than 50 years of efforts, we have come out of the era of leprosy.
"It's never too late to join the Party"
In 20 16, the Party organization of Beijing Friendship Hospital received a special application for joining the Party-Li Huanying, who is 95 years old, submitted the application with infinite loyalty to the Party.
Patriotism is Li Huanying's lifelong belief.
Her grandfather Li Qingfang is a senior senator in Shaanxi Province. After the July 7th Incident, the Japanese army tried to buy off Li Qingfang, but it was rebuffed.
When Li Huanying was a child, she lived in Germany with her parents for some time. She saw the rapid development of western medicine and felt the gap between Chinese and western medicine. So, she applied for the medical college of Tongji University in Shanghai.
65438-0946, Li Huanying, a graduate of Tongji University, enrolled in the Institute of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University in the United States, and stayed as an assistant researcher in the Department of Microbiology after graduation.
1950, the World Health Organization was established, and Li Huanying, who was excellent in character and scholarship, became the first batch of WHO officials under the recommendation of his tutor. During her seven years in office, she traveled to and from Asia, Europe, America and other places to implement tropical disease prevention and control programs around the world.
From 65438 to 0957, WHO offered to renew the contract with Li Huanying. However, she refused and made a decision that no one expected-to return to New China. "New China has been established and everything needs to be done. It is time to need talents. I come from China. I was born in Beijing. I should go back and contribute to my motherland. "
1958, 37-year-old Li Huanying came to Moscow and returned to her motherland without telling her parents and siblings in the United States.
Later, her parents came all the way from America to see her and persuaded her to go back to America with them, but Li Huanying refused her parents. She said: "I earn a lot of money working in WHO and have a rich life in the United States, but my personality does not pursue enjoyment or fame and fortune. Living conditions in China were very difficult at that time. Many people lack food and clothing, and are weak and sick. As doctors, they might as well not return to China if they leave at this time. "
Finally, Li Huanying sent her parents away in tears, which became her last meeting with them.
Pictures of Li Huanying and her parents.
On the day Li Huanying joined the Party, she pointed to party emblem on her chest and said happily, "This is my permanent mark. It's never too late to join the party. I won't regret it when I return to China, but I will regret it if I don't join the party. Even if I sacrifice now, I feel that my life is worthwhile and I am very satisfied. "
20 16 12.27-year-old Li Huanying was sworn in as party member.
She once said that she would work until 100 years old. Now, at the age of 10 1, after completing her mission, Li Huanying finally stopped her steps.
Have a nice trip, Mr. Li Huanying!
Chief producer: Lv Hong
Producer: Zhang Jiankui
Editor: Xu
Editor: Su Rui