Non-availability of free sex reassignment surgery: DCW notice to RML Hospital, State, Central Govt

Last November, the Directorate General of Health Services in Delhi issued a circular, directing all government hospitals having a 'Burn and Plastic Ward' along with the facility of plastic surgeons to provide free sex reassignment surgeries after the DCW had raised the issue with the department, it said.

The DCW has asked the hospital for the reasons for not performing the complainant's sex reassignment surgery along with details of steps taken to perform it. The commission has also asked the state and Union governments regarding the number of sex reassignment surgeries performed by public hospitals in Delhi since 2022.

The commission also asked for details of steps taken to ensure free sex reassignment surgeries in government hospitals in Delhi, it stated.

DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said, "We have received a complaint regarding non-availability of sex reassignment surgery in a prominent hospital. The facility of free sex reassignment surgery should be available at all the government hospitals."

She further said, "After the efforts of DCW, the Delhi government had instructed all the city government hospitals to provide free SRS. I have issued notice to the hospital and the health departments. We will make sure transgenders will be able to get benefit of free SRS in all the government hospitals."