LGBTI+ South Africans said the continent's first Queer Wellness Centre, which opened last week, would spare gay and transgender people the shame, rejection and confusion that they often face when seeking medical care. The Times reports that the founders of the centre in Johannesburg said it would provide clients with “stigma-free” sexual and mental health services, as well as treatments that focused specifically on LGBTI+ people's need. “We hope that other African countries will see that if we can do this, then it is possible for them to do it too,” said Mzamo Mbelle, a medical doctor working with the centre, which was decorated with paintings for sale by LGBTI+ artists.
Africa has some of the world's most prohibitive laws against homosexuality, with 33 nations out of 54 criminalising same-sex relations, according to the ILGA, an LGBTI+ rights group, with punishments ranging from imprisonment to death.
South Africa is the only country on the continent to allow same-sex marriage and the constitution was the first in the world to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. There are five LGBTI+-friendly clinics in South Africa but none specifically catering to gay and trans people, said Mbelle, giving the example of anal pap smears, which are recommended for people with HIV.
Claudia Do Vale, co-founder of the centre, said she used her life savings of about R1m to fund the project after realising LGBTI+ patients were not receiving the care they needed.
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-03-11-sa-opens-continents-first-queer-wellness-centre/"]Full report in The Times[/link]