GT Hospital opens India’s first ever Transgender Wing

The hospital remodeled a 30-bed medical wing to provide cheap and inclusive

treatment to the community

Risa Bar

Mumbai

The first-ever transgender ward in Maharashtra was opened at the GT Hospital in Crawford Market, Mumbai. This hospital has remodeled a 30-bed medical wing ward and educated 150 healthcare workers on the need to provide cheap and inclusive treatment to the community. Additionally, to ensure patients' privacy, the ward contains gender-neutral restrooms as well as a separate examination room.

Doctors have seen the community's discomfort with being admitted to a male ward for years. They have also encountered opposition from female patients. As a result, the necessity for a separate ward for trans people has now been met. Over the years, the community has experienced numerous challenges in obtaining adequate healthcare without discrimination.

But, “witnessing the administration take such a step now makes them sincerely thrilled and optimistic about the future,” a person from the transgender community said. The transgender community has suggested the hospital educate the healthcare staff more about their community. As a result, the hospital conducted a sensitization program in which the staff was instructed to communicate respectfully with patients in addition to taking care of their health, asking them whether they want to be addressed as she or he. "Our perspective has to change with the moving modern world and we should learn to respect every individual," one of the staff members said.

"We need more of these wards because our community is likewise, aging and has health issues relating to non -communicable disease," said Shusmila Gavkar who came for an OPD check-up. But so far, no transgender patients have been admitted despite three transgender people visiting the hospital's OPD. Many people are unaware of the existence of such a ward. As a result, the government should take the initiative to publicize and disseminate awareness about it, so that many people can benefit from the services given.