Mahipal, Indian fast food seller (street vendor)

Mahipal, 32 years old with 2 children.
Selling fast food is a family business which Mahipal has been doing for five years. During the day, he goes to the front of the school to sell food and in the evening he travels to the market.
Mahipal is coming to the end of his TB treatment and has only 15 days left. His symptoms started with a cough and a fever, so he went to Premnagar clinic. He was very sick, lying in bed at home and not working, which posed a big problem as he is the family wage earner. After one month of treatment he started to work again. His treatment has been good with no problems.
Before his diagnosis, he did not know about TB. When he was told he had TB, he was very anxious and says his wife was terrified. But he has suffered no stigma and his clients accepted him back straight away. Now when he sees people coughing with possible symptoms of TB, he tells them to go to the clinic for a sputum test.
“When I was ill, my wife has not been out. Now, she is taking advantage of me being well and going out to catch up with all her friends,” says Mahipal.