Médecins Sans Frontières - A Mother’s Courage - Overcoming HIV and Family Rejection (INT)

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSB253417

Date taken / Date Recorded 22/07/2025 1:30 PM

Expiration date 24/07/2030

Country India

Commissioning section MSF-INDIA

Photographer / videographer / producer Deepak Bhatia

Copyright MSF

Usage Rights (MSF) Advertising Campaign, MSF Fundraising, Social Media, MSF Publications

Formal Consent Copy available yes

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

Video format h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661)

Duration 3m3s

Maximum Size 1920px × 1080px 460.03 MB

Special instructions Subtitles:

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When I was completely broken,

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and thought I didn’t want to live anymore…

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My daughter said, “No, Mom, you have to live,

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you have to live for me.”

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This is Nisha,

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a 31 year old mother of two daughters from Bihar.

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Her struggle with HIV

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reveals not just a personal health journey,

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but also how familial

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support and proper medical care can transform lives.

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I had high fever, severe vomiting, coughing.

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In fact, my weight decreased, too.

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With the recurring fever,

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I developed lesions on both sides of my body.

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We went to Samastipur for treatment.

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They diagnosed me with TB,

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but the treatment wasn’t successful.

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We tried medications, spent money, but nothing improved there.

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Then we went to Darbhanga,

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and from there I was referred here.

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I found out about HIV here.

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They sent me from there. I found out here.

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Tests were done, and I found out here.

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Then treatment started from here.

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I stayed here (at MSF Clinic) for almost two months.

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My heartbeat, like my heartbeat increased

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and I was having trouble breathing.

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My family said they wouldn’t come near me.

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They kept their distance.

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If I was here, they would stay outside the gate.

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They kept saying do this, do that.

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Don’t sit here, don’t sit there.

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My brother-in-law had said that when I die,

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they should just throw me in the

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Ganga river, directly from the hospital.

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They shouldn’t bring me back home.

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My younger daughter understood me very well.

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My older daughter didn’t understand.

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She wouldn’t do anything back then,

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but now she does.

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Here (at MSF), the sisters and brothers took very good care of me.

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Everyone was very nice.

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Not just me, they took care of my daughter, too.

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and everything was fine.

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After staying here (at MSF clinic) for 2 months

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and getting the right treatment,

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I’ve been doing very well.

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(To anyone with HIV) I’d say go to (MSF Clinic)

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and get checked there.

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You’ll find out what you have or don’t have.

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Go there, there won’t be any expenses.

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They’ll take very good care of you,

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and you’ll get good food and everything you need there.

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Go see for yourself and get the treatment.

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If you take medicine on time and eat meals regularly,

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you’ll get better.

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The disease will improve. Just believe in yourself.