Telangana Govt opens Transgender Clinic in Osmania General Hospital

The telangana government opened doors to a Transgender Clinic in osmania general hospital, marking an impressive step towards enabling healthcare access for the third gender. The first day of operation for this welcoming clinic, which has broken down several long-standing hurdles for trans people, was on Wednesday.

Patients of this marginalized group will get a range of therapies under one roof from medical staff who have completed sensitization training. The clinic now only opens on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm, but it intends to extend the number of days it is open based on demand.

Endocrinologists Drs. Rakesh Sahay and Neelaveni will take the lead in assisting transgender patients with hormone therapy and other necessary therapies. When necessary, assistance will also be provided by gynecology, plastic surgery, psychiatry, urology, and other departments. The first transgender physicians to work for the government in telangana, Dr. Prachi Rathod and Dr. Ruth john Paul, are also appointed as coordinators in addition to this talented group of medical professionals.

“Transgender people have a difficult time getting access to healthcare treatments. However, it’s better late than never since now we have a clinic where care will be given without any restrictions, said Dr. Prachi. The clinic seeks to offer treatments to anyone who falls under the LGBTQIA umbrella as well as transgender people.

A major emphasis will also be placed on identifying gender dysphoria and conducting medical examinations to provide Gender Identity Disorder certifications. While gender-affirming operations are not currently offered, according to Dr. Prachi, they will be in the near future. ‘Community elders were lobbying for a transgender clinic at OGH even before we were hired as medical officers here,’ says the doctor. Thank goodness, our superintendent took over, and we established a team to establish rules,” continues Dr. Ruth.

“We shouldn’t ignore them,” says OGH’s administrator

Dr. Nagendra, Superintendent of osmania general hospital and a driving factor behind the Transgender facility, claims that the team spent time learning about the difficulties before establishing a viable facility. To train physicians and other personnel for the job, several awareness workshops and a nationwide workshop were held.

“We must not ignore them. They are people too, just like us. As experts in the medical field, it is our duty to treat them equally to everyone else. I also ask the transgender community to use this free service,” he says in his conclusion.

Courtesy : India Herald

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