Background
In Liberia, key population (LGBT) experience barriers to healthcare services leading to health disparities. There are discriminatory behaviors toward them by healthcare service providers. Such attitudes constrain members of the LGBT community’s ability or willingness to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity hindering their access to appropriate healthcare services leading to high occurrences of HIV. Many LGBT seek healthcare services when they are terminally ill or their health conditions get worse.

About the project
The project was therefore aimed at increasing access to healthcare for LGBT population at John F. Kennedy, Redemption and Eternal Love Winning Africa Hospitals, Liberia. The project team developed survey tool, conducted a baseline survey among 90 healthcare service providers and 61 LGBT persons to asses knowledge, attitude and practice , conducted 4 awareness trainings for healthcare service providers on HIV, stigma and discrimination, conducted 2 awareness trainings for LGBT community members in HIV and other STIs, stigma and discrimination, held 2 meetings with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Independent National Commission on Human Rights and held 2 SRHR dialogue discussions between 29 healthcare service providers and 20 LGBT members

Results
Increased awareness of LGBT and human rights issues among health workers and a more conducive environment created for LGBT to seek health services and for health workers to provide better services through confidentiality.

Year: 2017/2018