BMC forms 10-member panel
To monitor the healthcare facilities and issues faced by the transgender population in civic-run hospitals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has formed a ten-member committee.
The committee, which will have monthly meetings, involves doctors from gynaecology, urology, psychiatry, endocrinology, plastic surgery, general surgery and forensic departments.
The first meeting was on February 26, chaired by Dr Sudhakar Shinde, additional municipal commissioner and was represented by the national network of transgenders (NNT). The event was attended by deans of all four medical colleges and the heads of gynaecology, plastic surgery, general surgery, urology, psychiatry and forensic medicine departments.
“We also had the president of NNT representing the community. The meeting was to understand the healthcare issues faced by transgender patients in civic-run hospitals and how we can improve it,” said a senior BMC health official.
“The panel will have regular meetings and procure drugs, especially hormonal preparations, required for the transgender population. We will be sensitising our healthcare staff to treat all transgender patients with dignity and free of charge as per the government law,” said Dr Shinde, who added that the study done by the committee is expected to give periodic recommendations for the treatment of transgender patients and update clinicians about the newer legal concerns.
Although the state-run GT Hospital has a dedicated ward for transgenders, the NNT said they do not need a separate ward in civic-run hospitals. The city is home to around 70,000 transgender persons. “We do not feel the need for a separate ward. Treating us with dignity is all that is required,” Priya Patil, president, NNT, said. “LTMG Sion Hospital and Dr RN Cooper Hospital are doing sex-change surgeries for transgenders, we requested that the treatment should be free.”
Last year, the state-run GT Hospital became the first public hospital to have a dedicated transgender ward with 30 beds. However, in one year, the department saw only 51 patients on an OPD basis, seven admissions and one surgery. The community said instead of a dedicated ward in one hospital, all public hospitals should have at least two beds reserved for them to make healthcare accessible and affordable.
Zainab Patel, who is part of the national board for transgender persons for the western zone, said, “We need more such wards because ours is also an ageing community and has health problems related to noncommunicable diseases,” she said.
We do not feel the need for a separate ward. Treating us with dignity is all that is required PRIYA PATIL, President, NNT