We esteem our doctors, medical and other health care workers tremendously in Africa. We should. In a continent with a dire lack of education, they are our educated elite. They also struggle to work under some pretty tough conditions, because of a lack of funds, lack of necessary instruments of care, and lack of political and other support.
With knowledge comes power, socially.
Medicine and the health sciences
have a very rich background of study of my sexuality, because we are different
from the common heterosexuality. It is not a new thing.
I mean, we Kuchus (LGBTQ+) human beings,
have been under study since life immemorial. We are a uniquely different part
of humanity that persists in life to the contrary of expectations.
So, why are our African medical
and health care professionals so clueless with regards to sexuality and other
sexualities?
The excuse that it is not taught in African medical schools is not a good one.
This is the internet age.
But our doctors have failed to explain issues. Yeah, Museveni asked twice, but
I don’t think he wants a real answer… But his questions reflect a lot of the
ignorance in Uganda. He is not wrong to ask our in-house docs. Even while he
doesn’t listen.
Even lay people can educate themselves about a subject as interesting as homosexuality, and of course human sexuality.
The words of a Seniour psychologist and professor in Ghana pulled me down this line of reflection. I posted on it: - Kuchu Mental Health in Africa; The Failure of Africa’s Medics & Health Care Workers (1)
But, there is an even more immediate and urgent example of medics in Africa failing Kuchus as individuals and our nations collectively because they are prejudiced on homosexuality. The case of HIV/AIDS.
When the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 was signed into law by the President of Uganda, UNAIDS/PEPFAR/Global Fund released a cautionary statement on the possible impact of the law.
“.., are deeply concerned about the harmful impact of the Ugandan Anti- Homosexuality Act 2023 on the health of its citizens and its impact on the AIDS response that has been so successful up to now.”
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“Progress has been made thanks to the implementation of large-scale prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care programs, all provided on the principle of access to health care for all who need it, without stigma or discrimination. This approach has saved lives. The strong health systems built to support the AIDS response serve the entire population of Uganda.”
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“Uganda’s progress on its HIV response is now in grave jeopardy. The Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 will obstruct health education and the outreach that can help end AIDS as a public health threat.”
The resulting media storm was
quite embarrassing. Shouts of ‘imperialism’, ‘colonialism,’ ‘promotion of
homosexuality’, ‘blackmail’.
Winnie Byanyima, a Ugandan our country woman, currently Director General of
UNAIDS was vilified and shamed
in the papers and the people of her old constituency in Mbarara.
And why blame Uganda’s medics?
The issue was HIV/AIDS. Ugandan trained medical workers have a good grasp of HIV/AIDS. When UNAIDS, literally the World’s Most Important Specialist Doctor on HIV/AIDS comes out with such a statement, It was reasonable to expect Uganda’s HIV specialists to explain why UNAIDS was concerned. What was wrong? Why was there a problem? Why would PEPFAR, UNAIDS and Global Fund gang up on poor, homophobic Uganda?
And where were Uganda’s specialists to explain the problem?
They did. Medics
say no to UN, US claims on gay Aids was the title headline in the Monitor.
The text revealed tremendous ignorance and our under current of homophobia. Of
course these, our Ugandan medics, were much more believable than UNAIDS, even
headed by Winnie Byanyima.
says Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the head of public health affairs at the Ministry of Health
““Americans are trying to frame it as if we are against certain groups. I don’t know why they are attaching the Anti-homosexuality Act to the Ministry of Health. It has nothing to do with health,””
Sorry Dr Daniel Kyabayinze for
calling you out, but that statement is really…, out there ignorant. That the
Head of Public Health Affairs at the Ministry of Health of Uganda can actually
state that legislation that criminalises Kuchus (LGBTQ+ individuals) has
nothing to do with health and HIV/AIDS programming reveals considerable
ignorance, and prejudice.
Blaming the Americans for our ignorance is not okay. HIV/AIDS has been about LGBTQ+ individuals and communities for the
last 40 years of the pandemic. Why don’t you know it?
In Dr Kyabayinze’s defence, not many medics in Africa equate HIV/AIDS to homosexual sex. Heterosexual sex, yes. But Dr Kyabayinze is the Head of Public Health Affairs of the Ministry of Health. He is not ‘all doctors’.
If the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023
doesn’t concern the Ministry of Health, why is it a
long time policy of UNAIDS to strongly advocate for decriminalisation (removal of laws that criminalise
homosexuals)?
This is a long standing policy of UNAIDS, the ‘Americans’ are not to blame...
As Head of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Kyabayinze should have been explaining to the Parliament of Uganda and the President, this long standing HIV prevention measure, and why it is important.
Another influential medic, and person living with HIV, also couldn’t help but reveal his ignorance. And his bias.
Dr Stephen Watiti, a person
living with HIV/Aids (PLHIV), and chairman of the National Forum of People
Living with HIV/Aids
““I know some of them who have HIV. [But] the majority of those people
are not even HIV positive. Many LGBTQ members also get their medicines from
abroad. The majority of those who are speaking here don’t even have HIV,””
The chairman of the National Forum
of PLHIV should be aware of the actual issues. To him the problem was the
politics, not the science. As a heterosexual person living with HIV, he doesnt
understand. He has no understanding of the DOUBLE STIGMA of HIV and homosexuality.
Rev. Gideon Byamugisha also
showed this lack of understanding even though he is also a PLWHIV. It is a
reality of our kuchu lives.
And Dr Watiti, according to the statistics, I most kuchus living with HIV are actually Ugandans living in Uganda.
It was a crucial point in time.
At that time, the hype making the rounds was all about the big and bad and
dirty, extremely evil Americans who were daring to caution that there was a
problem with the very beautiful and lovely Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023.
In these cringe worth moments, when fellow Ugandans are puffing out their
chests and loudly shouting how tough they are in standing up to ‘the
Americans’, proof of their holy aims…,
And, our doctors, who should be in the know, failed us. Spectacularly.
gug
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