India’s health minister called homosexuality a “disease” imported from the West, The Associated Press (AP) reports. Ghulam Nabi Azad made the comments while speaking at an HIV/AIDS conference in India. Despite video of the comments being aired on Indian television, Azad claims that he was misquoted and was referring to HIV as a disease.  Activists have denounced his comments. In response, UNAIDS issued a statement in support of efforts by India’s National AIDS Control Organization to battle HIV stigma and to provide HIV services for men who have sex with men and transgender people.

To read the AP article, click here.

To read the UNAIDS statement, click here.