Dr Jiang Yanyong, the doctor who exposed China’s cover-up of SARS in 2003 has died of pneumonia. Dr Jiang was a military surgeon and he was one of the first to sound an alarm on the 2003 SARS outbreak.
Unlike Li Wenliang, the doctor who was punished for circulating an early warning about the spread of Covid-19 before his death from the disease in 2020, Dr Jiang wasn’t punished for drawing attention to the effect of SARS in 2003.
In the case of Li Wenliang, instead of being commended for his vigilance, Dr Li was reprimanded by the Chinese authorities for “spreading rumours” and “disrupting public order.” He was forced to sign a statement admitting to “making false comments” and was warned that he could face severe punishment if he continued to speak out.
Dr Li’s warnings were tragically prescient, as Covid-19 quickly spread throughout Wuhan and eventually the world. Dr Li became a symbol of the dangers of government censorship and the importance of free speech in the face of a public health crisis.
Both doctors were finally hailed as heroes in state media.
Whistleblower doctor Jiang Yanyong who exposed China’s Sars cover-up dies https://t.co/PJyw9yiMiG
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 15, 2023
However, Dr Jiang’s funeral has been censored on the internet in China. If you try searching for his name on WeChat or Weibo, the search yielded no results, saying the topic violated “relevant laws, regulations and policies.”
Dr Jiang was also a longtime advocate for families of victims of the violent 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on democratic protesters.
Amidst the 2003 SARS outbreak, Dr Jiang wrote an email to State Television claiming that the total number of SARS cases in China was many times that of the reported numbers.
After his death, tributes have poured in from around the world, with many people expressing their gratitude for Dr Jiang’s bravery and sacrifice, with many taking to social media to express their condolences and to call for greater transparency and accountability from the government.
The death of Dr Jiang is a reminder of the toll that pandemics can take on the world and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. Dr Jiang’s legacy will live on, inspiring others to fight for truth and justice in the face of public health crises.
