WHO: Stigma denies HIV care to gay men and transgenders

HOMOSEXUAL men and transgender people should get equal access to HIV/AIDS programmes under the World Health Organisation’s first guidelines aimed at ending the stigma that denies care to many, the UN agency said yesterday.

WHO also reported evidence of HIV infections surging again among men who have sex with men and people who change their gender, particularly in Western countries.

The two groups are already hard hit by the AIDS epidemic that began 30 years ago.