Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…
Location of Tanzania in East Africa. (Map courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
An online fund drive is raising money to provide health care for LGBTI people in Tanzania, where the government has shut down gay-friendly organizations, including clinics fighting HIV.
Tanzanian Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu supports the country’s crackdown on clinics serving the LGBTI community, saying that she believes anti-AIDS programs for gay men promote homosexuality. (Photo courtesy of Alchetron.com)
On its first day, the campaign by the New York-based advocacy group OutRight Action International had already exceeded its $4,300 goal.
The money will fund the work of an unnamed “private gynecologist, who, through a proposed cost-sharing arrangement, has agreed to dedicate a portion of her clinical practice (including counseling and safe referral) to meeting the health needs of all members of the LGBTI community.” The arrangement was made by an unnamed “small community-based NGO focused on the health, safety, and personal development of the LGBTI community.”
Help OutRight raise funds needed to bring the LGBTIQ people of Tanzania safe and much needed access to healthcare
Logo of OutRight Action International
Since the Government of Tanzania’s crackdown on LGBTI people, many Tanzanians have gone underground, fearful of their safety and security, reluctant more than ever to seek health services through public health facilities. They fear being subjected to harassment, humiliation, and discrimination at best, and at worst, being turned over to authorities, since homosexuality is criminalized and the sodomy law is now being invoked. \
A small community-based NGO focused on the health, safety, and personal development of the LGBTI community, has recently succeeded in developing a partnership with a private gynecologist, who, through a proposed cost-sharing arrangement, has agreed to dedicate a portion of her clinical practice (including counseling and safe referral) to meeting the health needs of all members of the LGBTI community.
Will you pitch in? The LGBTI community desperately needs the support of this clinic.
This is so sad, but shows the people who allow this to happen, don’t care about the health of all people. What is the person with HIV is married and not LGBTQI ? Would they treat a mother, father or child if born with HIV ? Or do they just don’t care how it affects or makes people suffer. And do they call themselves a Christian or God like nation when they show no care for others as told to do in the religious books ? What happen to “love they neighbor as thyself” ? Shame on all who do this ! May God brings his wrath upon you for being so non caring about thy neighbor.
This is inhumane, cruel treatment. After reading research on LGBT, I am convinced that sexual orientation is determined before birth. It is not a choice. My husband and I love and respect the gay and lesbian friends we have had for decades. They are upstanding members of our community. I fear that the HIV infection rate will rise in Tanzania because of this unfortunate ruling and the criminalization of LGBTQI people. I hope the political leaders of Tanzania reconsider after educating themselves on the research. And I agree with aowings1 that genuine Christians do not treat other humans in this way.
This is so sad, but shows the people who allow this to happen, don’t care about the health of all people. What is the person with HIV is married and not LGBTQI ? Would they treat a mother, father or child if born with HIV ? Or do they just don’t care how it affects or makes people suffer. And do they call themselves a Christian or God like nation when they show no care for others as told to do in the religious books ? What happen to “love they neighbor as thyself” ? Shame on all who do this ! May God brings his wrath upon you for being so non caring about thy neighbor.
WE DON’T NEED GAYS NUMBER TO CONTINUE TO RAISE IT’S SHOULD DECREASE FOR THE SAFE WORLD GOD ONLY MADE MEN’S AND WOMAN NOT GAYS PLEASE
This is inhumane, cruel treatment. After reading research on LGBT, I am convinced that sexual orientation is determined before birth. It is not a choice. My husband and I love and respect the gay and lesbian friends we have had for decades. They are upstanding members of our community. I fear that the HIV infection rate will rise in Tanzania because of this unfortunate ruling and the criminalization of LGBTQI people. I hope the political leaders of Tanzania reconsider after educating themselves on the research. And I agree with aowings1 that genuine Christians do not treat other humans in this way.