Linking LGBTIQQ Health To ILGA Mission; Paper By MARPS in Uganda
PAI_LGBTI Health
Most At Risk Populations’ Society in Uganda (MARPS in Uganda) , Kampala Uganda
Centre For HIV Care Prevention & Refugee Education Programme (CEHIPEP)-Kenya , Nairobi Kenya
centerforhivcarepreventioneduc@gmail.com
Keywords: LGBTIQQ; Refugees; Combination Prevention; Drug-related adverse effects
Theme: LGBTI Health
What innovative methods and activist approaches of improving the community’s health (sexual, reproductive, mental) exist? What are the challenges and what are the opportunities?
Objective:
Using community mobilization skills and knowledge of country-based HIV prevention programmes, it is possible for LGBTIQQ to formulate and synthesize plans to navigate healthcare systems. This way they are able to address health needs. We identified critical prevention needs, structural, policy and programme level barriers that affected access to care and reduction of HIV incidence facing selected LGBTIQQ in Uganda and Kenya between 2015-2016.
Problem under investigation:
Core community targets included meeting prevention needs, identifying structural necessities, policy and programme level barriers that impacted access to care and controlling HIV incidence, i.e., an enabling environment for health seeking and self care impacting the life of an HIV+ve person.
Hypothesis:
LGBTIQQ health for identified beneficiaries is possible due to: empowerment with life preserving skills; participation in self-care; linkage to service providers; training in community integration.
Research goal:
A maximized synergy between empowerment with life preserving skills; participation in self-care; linkage to service providers; and trainings in community integration.
Description of research methods:
From 2015-2016, using evidence-based and Human-rights-based approaches 324 LGBTIQQ (30 lesbians: 120 Bisexuals: 74 Transgender: 77 Gay: 36 Questioning) were linked to housing, food, means of subsistence and Psychosocial Support. 23 PLHIV in Uganda were attached to user free clinics in Uganda. 17 PLHIV in Kenya were attached to user free clinics in Kenya. Of the 23 PLHIV in Uganda attached to user free clinics in Uganda, 9 developed drug-related adverse effects, 4 were prescribed 2nd line drugs. 17 PLHIV in Kenya attached to user free clinics in Kenya, 14 developed drug-related adverse effects, 8 were prescribed 2nd line drugs.
Summary of findings:
Wider needs of LGBTIQQ included: housing, food, transport, sexual, reproductive and general mental health issues. Due to LGBTIQQ persecution in Uganda, some LGBTIQQ fled to Kenya. Persecution and provider bias are the two most important factors that led to mismanaged drug-related adverse effects, loss of medications due to moving from house to house and this also contributed to some needing 2nd line drugs.
Statement of how the research advances the Pan Africa ILGA objectives:
Skilled LGBTIQQ providers are an asset because they are able to effectively link needs to solutions. In a way this situation resonates with the pan Africa ILGA objectives in as far as working with key populations, i.e., the Objective C.3.11 “To work for the equality of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, trans people and intersex people and liberation from all forms of discrimination,” is exemplified in the activities in this review. Increasing opportunities for LGBTIQQ to engage in self determination requires the wherewithal of organizations and skilled personnel who work toward providing dignity affirming contexts that combine biomedical, behavioural and structural dimensions closely integrated to mental health.
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