Chaos erupted at Dr. Kofi Boateng Memorial Hospital in Kasoa, near Accra, as Salis Nasir, 25, was rushed in a taxi, fighting for his life after a brutal attack by his Muslim brothers over allegations of being gay.
Nasir’s childhood friends assaulted him and his ‘lover’ when they discovered them, prompting security officials to intervene with a warning shot, dispersing the angry mob. Nasir, stabilized at the hospital, tearfully contemplates reporting the incident to the police for protection and justice.
“I was there for antenatal care when they brought him to the hospital reception. It was a really bad sight. I don’t know what could have happened if he had not been rescued early,” a pregnant woman who was an eyewitness recounted.
“Now that LGBQT has been declared illegal by the law, it is only right that we report any suspects to the police rather than continue this barbaric act of instant justice. It most often leads to attacking innocent people,” one of the doctors advised. Homosexuality is deemed an abomination in the Ghanaian community, exacerbated by the recent anti-gay bill.
However, Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, has expressed serious concerns about Ghana’s approval of the anti-gay bill.
UNAIDS in a statement warned that if enacted, it could incite violence, impede access to life-saving services, and undermine fundamental liberties, potentially hindering Ghana’s developmental progress.
Byanyima emphasized the adverse impact on the fight against AIDS and overall public health.
The statement highlighted the potential harm that such legislation could cause to individual freedoms and the broader efforts to combat health challenges.