New Delhi: India’s first dedicated OPD for the transgender community was inaugurated at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital on Sunday on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
The initiative is aimed to alleviate the difficulties encountered by members of the transgender community in accessing healthcare services, largely due to discomfort and the fear of discrimination and social apathy, the health ministry said. The hospital also organised a blood donation camp to mark Prime Minister Modi’s 73rd birthday.
Dr Ajay Shukla, the hospital’s medical superintendent, inaugurated the special OPD and the blood donation camp. He said this dedicated OPD service will be available to transgenders every Friday from 2 pm to 4 pm and there will be a separate registration counter for them.
At India’s first dedicated OPD for transgenders, they will be provided with an endocrinology facility with hormone analysis and free hormonal treatment, a psychiatry facility with clinical-psychological assessment, and plastic surgery.
Also, dermatology, urology and paediatrics services and all related blood investigations will be made available at the OPD, he said, adding that it will have gender-neutral/transgender washroom facilities.
When asked what prompted the launch of the special OPD, Dr Shukla said, “I rarely have seen members from the transgender community in the OPD or in the hospital wards and wondered why we don’t see them seeking treatment in government facilities.” “I spoke to some transgender groups and found that they feel stigmatised. They feel uncomfortable in availing medical care with other people in public spaces,” he said.
Courtesy : TOI
Note: This news piece was originally published in timesofindia.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Right
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