Tang Shunbao: a dancer on a knife edge

After 11 years of saving people infected with HIV, Tang Shunbao, who was dubbed a dancer on the edge of a knife, died of cancer at the age of 53 on Jul 17, 2019.

As the president of the hospital affiliated to Jianshui prison in Southwest China's Yunnan province, Tang and his colleagues had been responsible for giving medical treatment to prisoners infected with HIV since 2008. It was at that time that the prison set aside a special section for all HIV-carrying inmates from across Yunnan.

Tang Shunbao prepares for the daily work. [Photo/moj.gov.cn]

The work meant that Tang risked contracting the virus almost every day during the past 11 years.

One day in 2010, when Tang was escorting a HIV-carrying prisoner to Jianshui from Kunming, capital of Yunnan, the inmate suddenly lost his mind and started hitting the car window with his head, causing blood and vomit to splash on Tang’s clothes and hands. Without any hesitation, Tang immediately attended to the inmate and tried his best to control him until he calmed down.

Despite the dangerous exposure due to the incident, Tang still went back to work right after taking blocking agents at the hospital.

On another occasion, one of Tang's arms was scratched by a frantic HIV-carrying individual, once again being exposed to the virus.

"When in an emergency, we must immediately take action and control the danger even if there is no time for us to put on a protective suit," he said.

To Tang, the saddest thing was to see HIV-carrying inmates die from the collapse of their immune system. He believed that he was responsible for saving their lives because they were also his patients.

In 2018 alone, over 400 HIV-carrying prisoners received medical treatment from Tang and his team. His relentless effort extended many of their lives.

Because of his prominence in both work and medical studies, Tang was awarded a number of honors over the years, including "advanced worker" status in the national judicial administrative system.

Diagnosed with cholelithiasis in 2009, Tang never stopped working despite the repeated request by his family for him to see a doctor.

Unfortunately, his health condition quickly deteriorated after a malignant tumor was found in his body last August.

After months of treatment, Tang felt better in May and returned to work. But a month later, he was hospitalized again and never came back.

"My father saved many people's lives, showing no fear before danger. I think he was a great man," said his son.