DNP+ president uses 5ml of blood to meet Carla Bruni-Sarkozy

Indian activist, Vikas Ahuja, President of the Dehli Network of Positive People (DNP+) took a bold step to get the message across about the consequences that the Indian-EU free trade agreements would have on the production of generic antiretrovirals. Armed with letters from his organisation to the Prime Minister of India, a HANDS OFF OUR MEDICINE postcard and wearing an HIV POSITIVE T-shirt, he set of to the ART clinic where Carla Bruni was expected to visit as UNAIDS ambassador for PMTCT.

Confronted by tough security and asked to leave, he instead headed for the nearby HIV testing centre and registered. Although he had known he was positive for 17 years, this way he was nearby when she came to talk to hospital staff. Ms Carla Bruni, I am a person living with HIV and working for the Dehli Network of Positive People, I would be obliged if you could please give me two minutes of your valuable time. He said. Yes sure she replied. So he wasted no time in handing here the letters and explaining that the agreement was, trading away our lives. She gave him her assurance that she would personally go through the documents and get back to him on the matter. On the way back to the DNP+ office, smiling to myself, I thought, hopefully giving my precious
5ml blood was not a waste in the end. He said.