Kerala plans dedicated treatment facilities for transgender patients at Govt Hospitals
Thiruvananthapuram: To improve access to healthcare for transgender people, the Kerala government will set up dedicated treatment facilities at government hospitals, with the initiative initially covering medical colleges and general hospitals.
The Health Principal Secretary has directed the directors of Medical Education and Health Services to submit a report on the existing facilities available for transgender patients in government hospitals. The facilities will subsequently be extended to district and taluk hospitals as part of the next phase of the initiative, reports the Daily.
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The move follows a representation submitted by Transgender Congress leader Ameya Prasad to Minister K. Muraleedharan, seeking improved healthcare facilities for transgender people.
A survey conducted by the Social Justice Department in 2014-15 found that 51 per cent of transgender people who sought treatment did not receive equal consideration at hospitals.
The proposed initiative comes nearly a decade after Kerala introduced its State Policy for Transgenders. A survey conducted by the Social Justice Department in 2014-15 found that 51 per cent of transgender people who sought treatment did not receive equal consideration at hospitals.
The policy also called for a dedicated fund in government hospitals for gender-affirming surgeries and recommended including transgender people under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana and the Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, reports Mathrubhumi.
The policy further envisaged a state-level Transgender Justice Board, with the Health Secretary as a member, along with district-level committees.
However, these measures have not been fully implemented. The latest initiative is aimed at improving access to healthcare and creating dedicated treatment facilities for transgender patients across Kerala.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that in a move aimed at improving healthcare access for the transgender community, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH), Tiruchirappalli, has revamped its transgender clinic into a multidisciplinary, single-window facility offering consultations across multiple specialities under one roof.
Also Read:TN Govt Hospital launches single-window transgender clinic
