“艾滋病人就像沙漠中的旅行者,艰难地忍受着烈日、焦渴和孤独,我能够做到的,就是陪着他们走出沙漠。”徐莲芝是北京市佑安医院传染科主任。自1990年收治第一例艾滋病病人以来,一直为预防、治疗及关怀护理艾滋病病人而不懈工作。她潜心钻研用中西药治疗缓解病症,多次赴疫区考察,对艾滋病病人长期随访,组织开通了性病艾滋病热线电话,并走上街头举办义诊,向全社会宣传有关艾滋病的知识。她还创建了中国第一个关爱艾滋病感染者和患者的组织——“爱心家园”。联合国秘书长安南的夫人称徐莲芝是“防治艾滋病的世界级功臣”。面对许多艾滋病人来说,徐莲芝则是他们的慈母,从她那里,他们得到了最多的慰藉和力量。艾滋病并非徐莲芝教授研究的唯一领域,但作为中国最早治疗艾滋病、治疗病例最多、治疗经验最丰富的专家之一,她在艾滋病这个特殊领域倾注了最多的心血。 “AIDS people are like travelers in the desert. They endure hardship, irritability and loneliness. What I can do is to accompany them out of the desert.” Xu Liezhi is director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Beijing You’an Hospital. Since the first AIDS patient was admitted in 1990, she has been working tirelessly for prevention, treatment and caring for AIDS patients. She has diligently studied the use of Chinese and Western medicines to relieve symptoms, repeatedly visited the epidemic areas, followed up for long-term follow-up of AIDS patients, organized the opening of a STD/AIDS hotline, and took the streets to hold free clinics to disseminate knowledge about AIDS to the whole society. She also created China’s first organization that cares for people living with HIV and AIDS, the “Love Home.” UN Secretary-General Annan’s wife called Xu Lianzhi “a world-class hero in fighting AIDS”. For many AIDS sufferers, Xu Linzhi is their mother-in-law. From her, they have received the most comfort and strength. AIDS is not the only area where Professor Xu Lianzhi has studied. However, as one of the earliest experts in the treatment of AIDS, the largest number of cases of treatment and the most extensive treatment experience in China, she has devoted most of her efforts to this particular area of ​​AIDS.