717 Key, Vulnerable and Priority (KVP) Populations Living with HIV Face Perilous Consequences Days Before the Anti-gay Bill Has Become an Act - MARPS In Uganda

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Decriminalise same-sex/same-gender relationships in Uganda.

We at the Most At Risk Populations' Society in Uganda (MARPS In Uganda), realised a long time back that we needed to keep a lid on our work of caring, treatment and support to many LGBTQ+ living with HIV, Hepatitis, TB, Long COVID-19, Sickle cell anaemia and other illnesses. Keeping quiet has not helped us in the long run. What with the Anti-gay bill in the offing!

We believed and lived by the "do no harm," mantra. We have put in immense time, money and sacrifice to keep a culture of adherence and U=U (undetectable = untransmittable) for our beneficiaries.

We care for 717 persons living with HIV in Uganda. 193 are LGBTQ+ living with HIV with 17 living with TB/HIV. Of the 717 living with HIV, 312 have suppressed viral load for 10 years now. 200 have suppressed viral load for 8 years now. Of the 193 LGBTQ+ Living with HIV, 52 have suppressed viral load for 10 years and 34 have suppressed viral load for 8 years. We had stabilised housing for all our beneficiaries as well as livelihoods and food security. But following the passing of the bill, there has been mention of relocation. When housing is unstable, livelihoods are disrupted. Therefore, food insecurity kicks in. When food insecurity kicks in, immunity suffers.

We are now at a loss. Even, our health champions are concerned about the Anti-gay bill, 2023. Aiding, abetting, normalizing, relating with and not reporting (notifying) the police will be a crime.

It is demoralising, scary, stressing, is ground for negligence and worse still it derails the Public health aspirations and SDGs. 

The bill makes an already bad situation worse. The non-discrimination clause is going to be thrown out of the window and with it the provider-health seeker confidentiality pact. We had to stagger, scatter and geographically spread wide our beneficiaries to optimise  uptake of services as well as avoid being spotted. It is now going to be difficult to allay the fear wrought by the bill.

One step forward of adherence and nine steps back of interference and enacting regimes that retrograde the achievements we had made as we strive for the end to TB, HIV and Malaria by 2030 goal. 

We add our voice to others calling for the decriminalisation of same-sex/same-gender relationships in Uganda.

                                                         HIV: Mount Sinai Hospital


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