Ex-MP regrets excluding gays

A former Ugandan MP who tabled a HIV/AIDS bill which excludes homosexuals from HIV prevention and treatment now “regrets the oversight”.

Beatrice Rwakimari, now vice chair of Kampala’s AIDS Information Centre, told a meeting of affected groups that if the bill is passed unamended, it will be unhelpful in combating HIV among minorities.

Uganda has only one policy that recognises homosexuals as an at-risk group — the National Policy Guidelines and Service Standards for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

However, there is no budget from the government to undertake activities targeting homosexuals and lack of information has led many Ugandan gays to believe that HIV is only spread heterosexually.