'Who is she?'

Most patients and health workers at Safdarjung Hospital failed to recognise French first lady Carla Bruni during her Monday visit

Her entry and style statement may have created frenzy in the city, but it seems not everyone is clued in about Carla Bruni's visit to Delhi. On Monday, the French first lady visited the Safdarjung Hospital to meet HIV patients.


French connection: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy,u00a0 leaves after visiting NAZ Care
Home for HIV patients in New Delhi on Monday. PIC/Imtiyaz Khan

Bruni was given a tour of the wards where the hospital provides services for preventing parent-to-child HIV transmission, integrated with general patient care and mental health by National Aids Control Organisation (NACO). But, surprisingly, none of the ward boys, nurses and other staff present at the time did seem to know her.

"I only know that some lady president is coming. I don't know her name, but I know that she is very beautiful," said one of the guards standing outside the HIV centre.

The French first lady went to various departments such as the OPD, Paediatrics and Gynaecology. But some of the ward boys did not even know her name.

"Haan hamein pata hai ki kaun hospital aa raha hai. Unka naam Fraza Bruno hai (We know who she is. Her name is Fraza Bruno)," said a ward boy at the Gynaecology department who did not want his name to be published.
"Her name is Bruni and she is coming from Afghanistan to meet the patients," said Shyam prasad, another ward boy from the Paediatrics department.

Meanwhile, the hospital kept it a private affair and did not disclose anything about her visit, even some of its own officials. Only the Medical Superintendent was present at the time, while there were representatives from National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) too.