The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first guidelines on the prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people, according to a Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) statement. In low- and middle-income countries, the WHO reports, MSM are nearly 20 times more likely to have HIV and those at risk often don’t have access to even the most basic prevention and treatment options. The WHO urged policy officials and medical professionals to lobby for human rights protection for MSM and transgender people. Other recommendations included better educating health care and health services professionals so they become more sensitive to these minority populations.

To read the MSMGF statement, click here.

To read the WHO guidelines, click here.