For LGBTQ+ Nigerians, visiting the doctor can be traumatic
When Abimbola, a gay man from Lagos, went to a sexual health clinic for a yeast infection, the nurse who saw him said she would only treat him if he promised to “pray against the demon”.
He swiftly left without being treated. For LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria, where having same-sex relations can incur a jail sentence, a trip to the doctor can be traumatic, deterring many from seeking medical care – especially for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). “You could tell from how he looked at me and asked me about my condition, that he was ready to judge and turn me away,” said Segun, a business developer from Lagos, who went to the doctor after contracting anal warts.
He asked not to use his full name. People who have same-sex relationships in Africa’s most populous country can be punished with imprisonment for up to 14 years.
In the north, where sharia law is used, a court last year sentenced three men to death by stoning for homosexual acts. As well as deterring many LGBTQ+ Nigerians from seeking medical care, widespread homophobia means healthcare professionals lack training on how to deal with health issues affecting the community, rights campaigners said. “The dynamics for this discrimination sometimes appear from a place of misinformation,” said Adeyinka Shittu, a healthcare professional specialising in sexual health issues who has worked for several international aid organisations.
