Source: thehindu.com
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Monday wrote to the Centre and the Delhi government seeking the provision of sex reassignment surgeries in government hospitals.
In the letter to the Union and Delhi health secretaries, Ms. Maliwal said that the facility was available only in a few hospitals in the Capital which led to delays in the surgeries.
“The DCW had recently established a transgender cell to look into the complaints of violence, abuse, harassment and discrimination faced by the transgender community. After several rounds of community meetings of the cell, one of the most common issue that was brought to the notice of the Commission was a lack of proper government-sponsored sex reassignment surgeries in Delhi,” read a statement issued by the women’s commission.
Stating that free medical services should be provided, Ms. Maliwal said, “There are many transgenders in the Capital who suffer innumerable problems due to the lack of sex reassignment surgeries. Access to free and proper medical services is their right and must be guaranteed by the State. I appeal to the Centre and State governments to sex reassignment surgeries in all their hospitals to cater to the needs of the transgenders.”