The state’s first transgender ward will come up at the state-run Gokuldas Tejpal (GT) Hospital near CSMT. The 35-to-45-bed ward will start in January 2023 and thereafter each of the JJ Group of hospitals in the city will get a trans ward.
The GT Hospital ward will contain two bathrooms and three toilets that will be gender-neutral. Dr Saple said that a separate examination room and dressing room will also be included in the ward to ensure that the patient’s privacy and dignity are maintained.
Transgenders, especially hijras, have complained about the trouble and stigma they face in accessing healthcare even in cities such as Mumbai. Many NGOs working for them had raised the issue with local governments, leading to the Preliminary Transgender Persons (Protection of Right) Act, 2019.