Dedicated treatment facilities for transgender people in Kerala government hospitals; report sought

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: The Kerala government will set up dedicated treatment facilities for transgender people in government hospitals, with the initiative to be implemented initially at medical colleges and general hospitals.

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 hospitals.

The facilities will be extended to district and taluk hospitals in the next phase.

The move follows a representation submitted by Transgender Congress leader Ameya Prasad to Minister K. Muraleedharan.

10-year-old policy yet to be fully implemented

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 ‘State Policy for Transgenders in Kerala’, issued by the Social Justice Department in 2015, stipulated that all government hospitals should formulate policies on registration and admission to ensure non-discriminatory healthcare for transgender people.

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.

A state-level Transgender Justice Board, with the Health Secretary as a member, along with district-level committees, was also envisaged under the policy in 2015. However, these measures have not been fully implemented.