Médecins Sans Frontières - Sunita’s Story - Living Strong Against HIV Stigma (EN)

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSB253416

Date taken / Date Recorded 15/12/2025 11:28 AM

Expiration date 24/11/2030

Country India

Commissioning section MSF-INDIA

Photographer / videographer / producer Deepak Bhatia

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

Formal Consent Copy available yes

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

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

Duration 3m20s

Maximum Size 1920px × 1080px 775.99 MB

Special instructions Subtitles:

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In 2013, I gave birth to a child,

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and that’s when I found out about my illness (HIV).

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They used to say, “Your husband did something wrong"

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But I couldn’t say anything.

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The whole world pointed fingers at me.

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My child couldn’t go and play.

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They kept him away from the other kids.

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I was scared. The fear gripped me.

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In 2016, I became completely weak like a stick.

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My brother left me. I had already lost my husband to HIV,

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and now there was no one I could rely on.

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Then, my child fell ill too.

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The one who was only 4 and would sleep on my lap.

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He had fever, vomiting and his stomach would swell up.

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He wouldn’t eat anything either.

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I took him to the doctor, and he asked me how his father died.

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I lied saying it was from alcoholism, so that the doctor

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wouldn’t know about HIV and treat my child.

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But in 2020, I lost him too.

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After that, I was very troubled.

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This illness took so much from me before

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I even realized what’s happening.

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After that I didn’t know where to go.

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I didn’t know where to take my 3 other kids.

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I had fever one minute and nothing

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the next after taking my medicine.

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Some days, the fever was so bad that

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I would lie on the floor just to feel the

coolness of the ground.

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I was also very scared of my neighbors.

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I live in constant fear of my neighbors.

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They taunt my kids about the illness their father had,

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and now their mother has too.

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They also mistreat my children, and I fear all of it.

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A doctor finally sent me here (MSF Hospital in Patna).

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After coming here,

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I finally had some hope. I felt like I had a new life, a new world.

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The behavior of the doctors is such that it feels like they are part of my family.

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I felt very good here. Mukesh sir, Kaushalya ma’am,

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everyone took such great care of me.

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They all spoke like I am family and gave me

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so much strength to continue.

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From here, my will to live was born again. I finally wanted to live.

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They taught me not to look behind when moving forward.

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That’s what I decided to do, and things got so much better for me.

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Remember, your courage is all you have.

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It is what saves you in the end.

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You’ve to speak up for yourself or life will just

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slip through your hands.

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Trust yourself and keep going.

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Courage is the greatest thing there is.

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I showed courage and told the doctor about my HIV.

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That was when he told me about MSF.

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I kept my resilience and finally found my will to live again.