HIV prevention advocates express concern over anti-gay law
HIV prevention advocates have expressed concern that the approved Anti homosexuality law will push back gains made in the fight against HIV/AIDs by 2030.
Yesterday, in a joint statement, three of the world’s leading health campaign groups – the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), UNAids, and the Global Fund warned that progress in tackling HIV is in “grave jeopardy” after the president approved tough new anti-homosexuality legislation.
The executive director of International Community of Women Living with HIV in East Africa, Lillian Mworeko says the legislation will increase stigma and discrimination among people seeking for HIV/Aids services at health facilities.
She was speaking at the annual F.I.E.R.C.E (Fighter, Intelligent, Empowered, Resilient, Courageous, and Excelling) Awards last evening.
The awards recognize outstanding women living with HIV/Aids.
“Therefore to close our eyes and say let’s put a law that is going to criminalize them means that we are not going to have services for them. That means if they HIV positive and they are not getting treatment, it means they are putting danger to others,” Mworeko said.