Desmond Tutu Health Foundation

The Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF) is a South African non-profit organization that interfaces academic research and community programs to champion innovative solutions in the prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and related infection.

The DTHF LGBT+ Health Division, based at the Groote Schuur Hospital Clinical Research Site in Cape Town, seeks to promote equitable access to appropriate and affirming healthcare for LGBTQI+ populations. This is achieved through groundbreaking clinical trials, qualitative and health systems research with a strong community center which includes psychosocial support and advocacy groups for vulnerable LGBTQI+ people, and hosting multilateral annual community stakeholder dialogues. A primary focus of the Division is a collaborative LGBTQI+ inclusivity initiative focusing on the public sector, termed the South African LGBTQI+ Healthcare Equality Program.

The South African LGBTQI+ Healthcare Equality Program aims to create LGBTQI+ inclusive healthcare environments in South African public healthcare facilities, achieved through organisational change that promotes equality, collaboration and access to appropriate health services for the LGBTQI+ community. It offers three half-day CPD accredited workshops combined with ongoing engagement at multiple levels of the health system to implement LGBTQI+ inclusive policies and practices.  By working closely with a variety of stakeholders, the program co-creates and integrates strategies that promote gender and sexual diversity within various structures of the health system, centering LGBTQI+ people and their voices.