A variety of lubricants. Uganda's Ministry of Health is on the spot over an alleged acquisition of such lubricants for its homosexual community. [Photo: lubelife.com]
A row is brewing over the procurement of controversial lubricants for ‘sexual minorities’ has pulled in the Global Fund.
Uganda Health Minister, Jane Aceng blames the Fund’s representatives for initiating the need to procure illegal items into a grant application.
According to the Daily Monitor in Uganda, the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) should explain the importation of the 964,000 lubricants for homosexuals into the country where homosexuality is prohibited.
CCM oversees the implementation of the Global Fund cash. “They are looking at reducing the spread of HIV by avoiding injury, but in the end, they will promote the act (homosexuality), which is not acceptable,” Dr Aceng said quoted by the Nation Media-owned publication.Dr Aceng squarely laid the blame on CCM saying that the conglomeration planned the acquisition.“This was planned by the CCM, let them answer. The CCM is made up of Civil Society and others who represent those groups, so they must have advocated for them. These items enable them to have friction-free sex,” Dr Aceng said.
CCM chairperson Prof Vinand Nantulya explained the situation saying that the ministers had misunderstood the use of the lubricants, saying they were purchased to be used in condoms, which are meant for both heterosexuals and homosexuals.
“The ministry officials are part of CCM and they are represented by the director general. The partners at CCM decided to buy the lubricants for use in condoms,” he was quoted by the publication.
A source at the CCM quoted by the Monitor, and who preferred anonymity, said the ring-fenced grant for sexual minorities was endorsed by the ministers.
The revelations of the purchase came during the ministry’s quarterly review meeting after Dr Patrick Tusiime who heads the National Disease Control Programme, presented an expenditure on the procurement of the 964,000 sex lubricants using funds provided by the Global Fund.