LGBT+ Clinic Opens in Mumbai to Combat Discrimination and Soaring HIV Rates
India has opened its first ever LGBT+ clinic, run by and for the LGBT+ community, reports The Guardian.
The clinic, opened in Mumbai, employs LGBT+ receptionists, pharmacists, and counsellorsand treats exclusively LGBT+ patients.
“Over the years, 30-40 percent of the individuals who tested HIV-positive at our clinic disappeared at some point during their [ARV] treatment at government hospitals,”said Vivek Anand, CEO of the Humsafar Trust, who opened the clinic in February.
“Half of them never even showed up. More than discrimination, self-stigmatisation keeps the community away from accessing treatment.
“We have known days when trans communities could not get past the doors of any public healthcare deliveries in India. Security does not let them in.”
It is estimated that there are 2.1 million Indians who are HIV-positive, one of the highest rates in the world.
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