FRAD0403 | The Impact of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act on HIV Service Access and Provision: A Media-Based Analysis

Eric Ssegujja | Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda

The Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), introduced in Uganda in 2009, sparked widespread controversy. While framed as protecting cultural values and vulnerable populations such as children, it has marginalized vulnerable groups and hindered access to HIV services. This study examines media portrayals of AHA’s impact on HIV care and offers recommendations to improve health outcomes in Uganda. This study used an exploratory qualitative case design with media analysis to examine the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda. English-language newspaper articles (2013–2023) were thematically analyzed using targeted search terms to explore media framings and assess the Act’s impact on HIV service access for minority and key populations. Following Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), media reports highlighted widespread concern over its harmful impact on HIV services, especially for LGBTQI+ communities. The law intensified stigma and fear, prompting a steep decline in service uptake—drop-in centers saw weekly visits fall from 40 to as low as 2. Fear of arrest, exposure, and discrimination deterred many from seeking care, while service providers faced legal threats, funding cuts, and operational disruptions. Human rights groups documented violence, evictions, and arbitrary arrests targeting key population. These factors undermined trust in healthcare, worsened mental health, and disrupted continuity of HIV treatment. International bodies warned that the AHA could reverse gains in Uganda’s HIV response and risk vital foreign aid. In response, some providers adopted adaptive strategies, including telehealth and home delivery of treatment. Despite these efforts, a persistent climate of fear continues to threaten access to care, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive, rights-based policy reform. Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act disrupted HIV services, especially among minority and key population, by fueling fear, stigma, and service avoidance. Despite adaptive responses, access remains fragile. Urgent, inclusive policy reform is essential to restore trust, protect health rights, and sustain progress in HIV prevention and treatment for marginalized communities.