Transgender individuals in Kozhikode district can now avail the services of a bystander/care taker at the Government Medical College Hospital besides free treatment.
The change is the result of a petition filed by transgender activist Sisily George on behalf of Punarjani Cultural Society, to M.P. Shyjal, Sub Judge and secretary of District Legal Services Society on August 3, the judgement of which was issued on September 4.
It was the plight of several transgender individuals who get admitted in hospitals across the State that prompted Ms. Sisily to come up with this petition.
“Roma, a transgender individual, died following pneumonia in Kozhikode in 2022. She did not have a bystander and even proper treatment. Meenu, another TGI, died of jaundice in Thrissur recently and faced the same issue. This is a common situation that most TGIs in the State go through,” Ms. Sisily said. Most TGIs leave their families at a young age and often live alone. Other TGIs may not be able to take care of them as they would be struggling for their livelihood too. Hence, Ms. Sisily requested for free bystander services for them.
She had listed the District Medical Officer, the Superintendent of the Government Medical College Hospital and the Medical and Nursing Superintendents of all government hospitals in the district as respondents in her petition.
DMO Dr. Raja Ram K.K. agreed to provide free treatment including free investigation and non payment of OP tickets to all persons with TG identification cards at all hospitals under the department of Health Services in Kozhikode district. Meanwhile, Superintendent of Government General Hospital at Kozhikode Beach, Dr. Asha Devi agreed to provide a separate OP and separate ward for TGIs free of cost at the hospital. Superintendent of the Medical College Dr. M.P. Sreejayan had offered to provide caretakers in case of emergency.
“Most of these services should have been available to us by default. But we had to move the court for them, as the services are rarely available without a legal push,” Ms. Sisily added. She has been a Para Legal Volunteer with the DLSA for several years.
