Gays excluded from HIV work in Uganda

The head of Uganda's AIDS commission has claimed that gay people are driving up the number of infections in the country, but said they would not be targeted with prevention work.

Kihumuro Apuuli claimed a lack of money prevents him from giving any attention or treatment to gay people.

Instead soldiers, prostitutes and the transient workforce will be targeted. More than a million of Uganda's 27 million people are already HIV+.

"Gays are one of the drivers of HIV in Uganda, but because of meagre resources we cannot direct our programmes at them at this time," Mr Apuuli, chairman of the Uganda AIDS Commission, said today.

Government officials have regularly threatened and harassed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Ugandans.

And then follows a litany of how Ugandans, government and society, have been (mis)treating gay Ugandas. Even I get tired of repeating those!

I am amazed, and actually amused. My salute to the Director General of Uganda AIDS Commission, the learned Prof. Kihumuro Apuuli

In the same breath, we are condemned and stigmatized for spreading HIV, and then of course we are told there is not enough money to protect us. Poor gay Ugandans! We are really the devils. Have to brush up my tail and polish my horns. They need to hit someone!

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