Stigma and Discrimination among gay men living with HIV is a rife in public health facilities

Kevin (not his real name) is gay and he is living with HIV. He says: “Stigma is rife in public health facilities, and I only go to a private hospital for a refill of my antiretroviral medication because I lost three of my friends living with HIV as a result of stigma and discrimination after they disclosed their sexuality to the health care providers in a public hospital.” He believes that many LGBT people shy away from public hospitals for fear of ridicule and prejudice, and unless this discrimination and stigma is addressed new HIV infections among gay men are likely to increase.

In Kenya, Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgender people are increasingly subjected to stigma and discrimination every minute that passes by. For those living with HIV, the stigma and discrimination is tripled especially in public health facilities. Consequently, some LGBT people prefer to manage their healthcare through nutrition instead of visiting public health facilities because most health care providers in public hospitals are known for breaching their privacy and confidentiality by exposing the sexual orientation of their patients to other colleagues at the facilities. The health care providers are usually not friendly and hardly understand them.

According to Kevin, due to stigma and discrimination in public health facilities, there are some LGBT people who opt to go for food supplements as substitutes to antiretroviral medication. Kevin says: “Many LGBT people buy these products from the streets because the sellers are friendlier than workers in public health facilities.” He believes that unfriendly health workers are a major barrier to the LGBT people accessing healthcare services.

He says he is lucky because he can afford to pay for services in a private hospital but let us pay attention to the thousands of the LGBT people who cannot afford to pay for services in a private hospital and only rely on public health facilities. Don’t you think that something needs to be done before it’s too late?` The constitution of Kenya under article 43(a) states that Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care. Article 27(4,5) further states that the State shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground, including race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, dress, language or birth, and that a person shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against another person on any of the grounds specified or contemplated in the above clause.

There is need for the county and national government under the ministry of health to train all health care workers in public health facilities on how to handle the LGBT people with respect and dignity. By doing so we will see more of the LGBT community going to these facilities and seeking health care services and information without fear hence seeing a reduction of new HIV infection among gay men and those living with HIV getting into medication therefore more lives will be saved