TIRUCHY: A trans clinic and ward at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchy was upgraded into a 10-bedded special ward to provide dedicated, accessible healthcare procedures for the trans community.
According to Dr S Kumaravel, the medical college Dean, the state government had announced plans to establish exclusive clinics for trans people who often hesitate to avail treatment at government hospitals due to various reasons, mainly stigma. To bridge the gap, the special clinic was launched in the GH, he said.
“Despite the special clinic being launched in 2022, due to a lack of amenities, the trans people approached the then District Collector seeking exclusive care while undergoing treatment as inpatients in the GH. Thus, a 10-bedded special ward was inaugurated on the premises,” said the dean. He also stated that since 2022, as many as 22 gender affirming surgeries have been carried out.
Meanwhile, an eight-member committee has been appointed recently to study the already existing facilities in other hospitals, he noted. “The committee is scheduled to visit Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai and study the facilities provided there, which could be included here," he said.
The dean also stated that the clinic not only caters to the trans people from Tiruchy but also from nearby districts.