LGBT in Zimbabwe still queer

 Picture taken from www.milehighgayguy.com

The first reported case of AIDS in Zimbabwe occurred in 1985.  By the end of the 1980s, around 10 percent of the adult population was thought to be infected with HIV. However, 30 years later stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity continues to drive new HIV infections and is an obstacle to treatment efforts.

The right to health is entitled to everyone. Access to HIV treatment, care and support belongs to everyone. Can the same be said when it comes to Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) communities in Zimbabwe?

Censual sexual intercourse between men is still criminalised in Zimbabwe.  This criminalisation of consensual intercourse between people of the same sex fuels  homophobic and transphobic which is arguably the number one factor that has made it hard for the LGBT community to access sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services.

The LGBT community in the country seems to be invisible and almost non-existent. Barriers of stigma, human rights violations continue to dog this community especially for people that don't have the financial muscle to seek assistance from private health institutions. SRHR services are so far accessible when preferred identity is assumed. 

I spoke to quite a number of people from the LGBT community at the sexual rights centre (SRC) stand and they shared with me several obstacles faced when it comes to the right to health.

“I went to the clinic the other day. I was consulted by a nurse. I shared with her my fears that I could be infected with an STI. She was polite, understood my fears at first but her attitude changed until I revealed to her that my partner - female, wasn’t aware of what I had been facing. She closed her book and told me to leave because; it wasn’t possible for one female to infect the other with an STI. I left without getting any help. Weeks later, when I had enough money, I went to a private surgeon, who treated me this infection without questions asked,” said Ramone*

According to a survey conducted by the SRC, it was revealed that people from the LGBT communities are more afraid of the attitudes they have to deal with when testing for HIV rather than knowing their HIV status.

 “While total engagement with the government and main health institutions remains a hard to reach goal due to the level of homophobia and transphobia in the country, much can still be done to increase access to health services in Zimbabwe by the LGBTI community. In the fight and reduction of HIV, there is need for increased awareness of transmission of HIV and STIs to decrease the vulnerability for this community,” said Samantha Ndlovu, SRC programs coordinator.

UNAIDS has set a 90:90:90 target for 2020 to accelerate reaching epidemic control 90 percent of PLHIV know their status, 90 percent of those that know their status are adherent on ART, 90 percent of those on ART are virally suppressed.

This year World Aids Day 2015 Theme has been envisaged to be “Getting to Zero” by the World AIDS Campaign. There will never be a “getting to zero” when stigma and discrimination is not completely wiped out especially on key populations such as LGBT. Until Zimbabwe comes to point when access to HIV treatment, care, support and all forms of health services, favours no sexuality, efforts made to reduce Africa’s prevalence rate will just go unnoticed.