“Visiting a medical establishment as a patient often translates to being harassed or humiliated. The public, and even some medical or support staff, are still unable to accept us as human beings who are in a hospital for treatment,” says 23-year-old Ruchi (name changed), seeking sex reassignment surgery (SRS) at India’s first dedicated transgender out-patient department at Dr. R.M.L. Hospital on Friday.
The establishment of the facility marks the Central government’s foray into providing a crucial, dedicated service for this vulnerable community. The facility is aimed at promoting an inclusive and easily accessible healthcare system for the LGBTQ+ community.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), transgender people are around 13 times more likely to be HIV-positive than other adults of reproductive age. It adds that overall, transgender people have low rates of access to health services due to a range of issues including violence, legal barriers, stigma, and discrimination. Experts note that while transpersons share many of the same health needs as the general population, they may have other specific healthcare needs, such as gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery.
