Impact of the Anti-Homosexuality Act on HIV service delivery in Uganda: Evidence from community-led monitoring

Abstract

Introduction: In 2023, the Ugandan government enacted the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), which included expanded and intensified criminal penalties for consensual same-sex relations. While arrests, harassment and violence have been reported, evidence of the AHA's impact on HIV healthcare delivery is limited. Community-led monitoring (CLM) is an accountability mechanism that uses community-gathered evidence to advocate for improved healthcare quality and is well-positioned to describe changes in access and quality of care.

Methods: Data from the CLM programme in Uganda were used to identify changes in healthcare delivery and use related to the AHA. As part of the CLM programme, routine survey data were collected from clients and managers in 320 public health facilities and 50 drop-in centres (DICs) from 2022 to 2024. Survey data were analysed using a difference-in-differences logistic model to measure changes in indicator measures before and after the AHA was signed into law. Seven semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with DIC facility managers, deductively coded and thematically analysed.

Results: In public health facilities and DICs, the proportion of respondents identified as men who have sex with men (MSM) declined significantly after AHA. In facilities, all categories of key populations (KPs) reported high levels of discrimination. After the AHA, MSM reported significant reductions in key HIV-related services compared to other populations, including lower rates of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) counselling, lower participation in support groups and having fewer friendly staff interactions. In DICs, all types of clients were less likely to be referred to health facilities, receive PrEP and find the DIC easy to access after the AHA was signed. DIC managers described experiencing harassment, violence and staffing challenges due to AHA, which they responded to by leveraging partnerships with local and global allies, providing virtual services, and seeking registration as full-service clinics.

Conclusions: Data from the Uganda CLM programme provide an early view of the impact of the AHA on service delivery in public health facilities and DICs. While DICs and health facilities developed strategies to build resiliency and adapt, the AHA created significant barriers to care. These findings provide empirical warnings of the barriers experienced by KPs when accessing healthcare services in a criminalized context.

Keywords: Anti‐Homosexuality Act; Uganda; community‐led monitoring; criminalization; men who have sex with men; policy impact.