This laborer worked at Ma’anshan Steel in Anhui. This picture is striking, because a huge number of people died in Anhui during the Great Leap Famine, and 1960 was one of the worst years. This picture also raises questions about the practice of medicine during the Great Leap Famine. What did medical staff do during the famine? How aware were medical personnel of the famine? Did government organizations (local, provincial, or central) ever send medical personnel to treat people afflicted by famine? Did medical staff ever act independently?
Everyday Life in Mao's China 