UHSPA pleads with Parliamentary Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committe: " Bahati Bill will fuel new HIV infections'


Ms Hasifa Nakiganda, Uhspa Lobby officer and Mr Kikonyogo Kivumbi before the committee in Parliament


UHSPA Executive Director, Kikonyogo Kivumbi and Lobby officer, Ms Hasifa Nakiganda told Ugandan Legislators sitting on the Legal and Parliamentary Committee of Ugandan Parliament that the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 introduced in Parliament by Hon. David Bahati undermines efforts in access to HIV Programming by LGBTI people in Uganda as a public health right enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Right to which Uganda is a signatory.
While appearing before the committee on April 12,2011 at Parliament House in Kampala, Mr Kikonyogo said Uganda risked creating a briding population of new infections if LGBTI people were intentionally kept off the health access radar on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Ms Nakiganda said since the bill was introduced in Parliament, with clauses requiring medical doctors to report their gay clients, by virtue of information coming to their knowldge in the course of their job, there is a sharp decline in many gay people seeking treatment. The bill expired with the 8th Parliament when the new Presidential and Parliamentary Term started after elections. But anti gay activists are scheming for its reintroduction in the 9th Parliament.

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