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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Uganda promises gays will still have access to healthcare

Uganda promises gays will still have access to healthcare

Despite the new anti-gay law that states you must report homosexuals to the police, the health minister has promised doctors and nurses will be able to keep patient confidentiality
 
| By Joe Morgan
Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda's health minister, promises doctors will not have to report gay people to the police.
Uganda’s health minister has said gay people will still have access to healthcare despite the introduction of the new anti-gay law.
Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has suggested the law will not apply to doctors or other healthcare professionals when LGBT people go to hospitals to seek treatment.
Under the law, it will be illegal to not report gay people to the police.
Health charities have warned that the law will be catastrophic in the fight against HIV, as gay people will be unable to be fully honest with doctors.
‘All people whether they are sexual orientation as gays or otherwise are at complete liberty to get full treatment and to give full disclosure to their doctors and nurses,’ Rugunda told the BBC.
‘And by the way, health workers will live up to their ethics of keeping confidentiality of their patients.’
Western governments have threatened to withdraw international aid to Uganda, which could badly damage the health system.
Several gay activists have said doing so could potentially damage their fight for equality even more, as the general population are bound to consider them to blame for a lower quality of life.

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