LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Men who have sex with men (MSM), commonly referred to as gay men, are highly susceptible to HIV infections.
Despite the Malawi government’s acknowledgment of this community, their existence is largely overlooked.
Hastings Saka, an officer with the Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) Alliance, shared insights in an interview with The Maravi Post on January 3, 2025.
Saka observes that despite Malawian government recognizing the minority group, there are limited discussions and interventions aimed at improving their access to sexual and reproductive health services.
He noted that lack of support has directly contributed to the rising rates of HIV among MSM and the broader population.
Furthermore, Saka mentioned that the third health sector strategic plan has paid insufficient attention to the LGBTQI community.
In Malawi, same-sex relationships and marriage are not legalized, as they go against the country’s prevailing faith.
The arrest of the first gay couple under President Bingu wa Mutharika elicited mixed reactions from the donor community, ultimately leading the then-president to release them without enforcing laws regarding marriage.
As a result, many individuals engage in same-sex relationships in secret, shying away from public judgment, since the prevailing belief in the country is that same-sex marriage is barbaric.
