A nurse for a South African clinic serving the LGBTQI+ community said of patients cut off from services due to U.S. aid cuts: “Some of them told us straight: they would never go to a government hospital. Up until now, some of them had said they’re still waiting for us.”
Date: 2/26
Region: Africa
Country: South Africa
Topic: Health, Gender Equality & Inclusion
Policy Lens: Global Health Security
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: This quote is attributed to Maurice Greeves, a professional nurse with OUT LGBT Well-Being. OUT is one of South Africa's oldest queer-friendly clinics, and one that’s specifically focused on men who have sex with men. Last January, the United States’ cuts to foreign aid forced OUT to shutter its services for 10,000 clients — and over the last year, some of South Africa’s most at-risk HIV patients were left in the dark.
Of the 9 staff members remaining at the clinic, most have been focused on routing former patients into alternative care. But with nonprofit services strained and shuttered, that’s meant more people have been pushed to government facilities — settings that often lack the training, sensitivity, or ability to serve OUT’s target population.
Source: Devex