Homosexuals and sex workers are being treated hostilely in clinics and even denied services, according to a report released by Ritshidze on Monday.
Ritshidze is a project of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the National Association of People Living with HIV, the Positive Action Campaign, the Positive Women’s Network, and the Network of South African Religious Leaders living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Ritshidze interviewed a total of 9,137 people, including 2,349 gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, 3,353 people who use drugs, 2,290 sex workers, and 1,145 transgender people. They found that sex workers, people who use drugs and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are often treated poorly in public health facilities.
Patients who told their stories talked about being ridiculed, abused, treated with hostility and even denied services at community health centers.
The report said some people did not feel safe enough to go to the clinic, and some stopped getting treatment.
“I went to the Stanza Bopape Clinic because I had an abscess on my butt,” one gay patient said when launching his report. “I know the nurses there are rude, but the way they responded to me was terrible. They said you like to sleep with boys and you expect them to help you and do miracles. I just need them to give me [medicines] for an abscess, but she just ended up rambling about herself. I feel disrespected and judged.
“If the main population continues to suffer every day using the public health system, specialized services remain unavailable to the majority,” the report said.
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Access to services such as methadone (to reduce drug dependency) and unused needles, contraceptives or hormones remains unavailable to many.
“Ritshidze’s data shows that clinical and non-clinical staff like security guards continue to be unfriendly and discriminate against key populations, i.e. at the clinic gate, in the waiting area, or during medical consultations. Reckless privacy violations continue to occur that undermine people’s privacy rights and make the clinic is unsafe and unsafe,” the report said.
Ritshidze’s survey found that 12% of the people interviewed did not receive health services anywhere. “In public health facilities, the main population is often treated poorly by clinic staff who sometimes shout or abuse people, ask them about their sexuality or gender, and how or why they engage in sex work or take drugs.”
One sex worker said she had been abused by doctors at a health facility in KwaZulu-Natal. When he asked to see the facilities manager, another staff member told him he needed an appointment.
“The doctor said that no one would believe that she was just a sex worker. I was violated because of who I am. I don’t think I will go back to the clinic again, because we are made to feel less human,” she said.
The report recommended that the Department of Health issue a circular this month. “It must be stated that all key populations must be treated with kindness, courtesy and respect; and that violations of privacy, ill treatment, harassment and/or abuse will be dealt with accordingly,” the report suggested.
Deputy Health Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said the department would employ dedicated clinic staff to assist key populations in each province.
“Perhaps, one nurse in each facility should be informed about the needs of the main population. That one health worker will be able to influence the entire clinic, from the gate to the dispensary. I will assure the department to consider this approach,” said Dhlomo.
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He admitted that the department had failed to train some of its staff. “We need to improve. We will be able with this Ritshidze data, and it should inform our growth. There are many health staff who need more training,” said Dhlomo.
“We have to say that these sex workers are responsible for coming and asking for condoms. As a government we have to say, we have this group of sex workers, some parents who want to see their children go to school, university and see them achieve their goals. So let’s go they encourage them to live longer and healthier lives,” said Dhlomo.
This article originally appeared on GroundUp and is republished with permission. Read the original article here.