China's longest-surviving AIDS patient, whose family was ostracized and who had to violently spurn a woman who was in love with him, died last month.

An incurable drug addict, he was the first to be diagnosed with full-blown AIDS in Chongqing, where the municipal government spent more than 800,000 yuan (US$98,800) for the 10 years of treatment.

He was one of first six to be treated for AIDS with traditional Chinese medicine.

The 44-year-old man, known as Jia Lin, died on October 12 at Chongqing Infection Hospital, Beijing News reported yesterday.

Beside him was a used syringe with 2 milliliters of liquid remaining in it. The overdose of heroin was fatal.

His death certificate said he died of liver prostration caused by the HIV virus.

In March, when he appeared to be dying, he told a doctor: "If I could have a new life, I will work hard and love my family."

Jia is reported to have quit his job in a state-owned enterprise and tried his hand at business in southwest China's Yunnan Province from 1989 to 1995, when he is believed to have contracted the disease by sharing needles to shoot up heroin and having unsafe sex.

Chongqing offered him free medical care after he was diagnosed, and sent him to Beijing You'an Hospital to receive a three-month treatment in traditional Chinese medicine in 1996.

The results of the treatment were so satisfactory that almost all his AIDS symptoms disappeared.

But back home, he was shunned by everyone, which explained why he went back to drugs, Jia's doctor was quoted as saying.

His wife left him the same year.

His daughter, who lives with his family, was stigmatized in school.

His work unit would not offer him his old job; neither would anyone employ him.

His mother, who used to sell tissues, lost all customers.

His family could not even buy groceries at nearby stores.

He was sent back to hospital in 1997 and stayed there ever since several of his attempts to get rid of his addiction failed.

He even attempted suicide twice.

When he was in hospital, a former middle-school classmate said she loved him despite his condition; and they are reported to have had unsafe sex.

When the doctor admonished him, saying that the woman's life was in peril, he had to threaten her with a knife to end the relationship.

The woman, fortunately, tested negative for HIV.

The world's longest-surviving AIDS patient on record is an African child, who contracted the HIV virus at birth from the mother and died at 12.

(China Daily November 22, 2005)