Inspired by his father’s quiet acts of compassion as an ambulance driver, Fareed has dedicated his life to serving people most in need. Since joining Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2011, he has worked across diverse and challenging contexts, from kala‑azar projects in Bihar and malaria response in the remote hills of Tripura, to frontline COVID‑19 care in Patna. Despite personal risk, fear, and illness, Fareed continued to serve with courage and humanity. Today, as a lay counsellor educator in MSF’s HIV/AIDS programme, he works closely with communities and health workers to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and ensure people access accurate information and care. Fareed’s story reflects the enduring power of compassion, commitment, and solidarity at the heart of MSF’s work.
Nisha*, 31, shares her journey of living with advanced HIV in Bihar, from severe illness, fear, and stigma to recovery, confidence, and hope. After being diagnosed at MSF’s advanced HIV care centre in Patna, she faced isolation and discrimination, even within her own family. With consistent medical care, mental health support, and patient counseling from MSF, Nisha rebuilt her health and resilience. Supported by her daughter and MSF’s team, she learned that HIV is a medical condition, not a sentence, and that with the right care, people can live full, dignified lives. Today, she encourages others to seek testing and treatment without fear and believes strongly in a future defined by strength, care, and possibility.*
*Name in this story have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
Written by Kaushalya Kumari, a mental health counselor with MSF’s Advanced HIV Project in Patna, this poem reflects her experience caring for an 11‑year‑old patient who ultimately succumbed to illness despite treatment. Through her words, Kaushalya captures the child’s suffering, the family’s grief, and the emotional toll on caregivers. The piece underscores the vital role of mental health support in HIV care, especially in situations where medical treatment alone cannot ease pain, and highlights how compassion and psychosocial care offer comfort in the face of loss.
Anjali*, a 32‑year‑old mother from Bihar living with HIV, shares her journey from prolonged domestic violence, stigma, and despair to recovery and hope. After years of abuse and struggling to cope with her HIV diagnosis, Anjali reached a breaking point. Her life began to change when she accessed care at MSF’s advanced HIV centre in Patna, where medical treatment was combined with mental health counseling and social support. With sustained psychosocial care, she rebuilt her sense of self‑worth, committed to treatment, and began planning a safer, more stable future for herself and her daughter. Her story highlights the critical role of integrated HIV and mental health care, and the importance of timely support for survivors of violence.
*Name in this story have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
Sameer*, a 16‑year‑old from Bihar living with HIV, lost both his parents at a young age and grew up struggling with grief, isolation, and inconsistent treatment. Reaching care requires a long and difficult journey, and for years, his loss made it hard for him to believe that medicines could help him survive. After multiple hospital admissions, MSF’s advanced HIV care team in Patna recognised that his health challenges were rooted not only in medical needs, but also in deep emotional distress. Through sustained medical care, counseling, and patient support, Sameer began to rebuild trust in treatment and in his own future. His story highlights the importance of combining HIV care with mental health and psychosocial support to help young patients overcome loss, stigma, and hopelessness.
