Maharashtra’s first transgender ward at G T Hospital sees only 13 admissions in 2 years

Mumbai: Maharashtra's first transgender ward at the state govt-run Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital is facing an existential threat, with only 13 admissions since its inauguration in Feb 2023. All 40 beds, neatly arranged for the next rare visitor, remain vacant for most of the year, with only a few nurses and ward attendants on rotational shifts, but no doctor in sight.

Hospital officials said the ward's launch was widely publicised. There were also consultations with members of the community before its establishment, according to Dr Pallavi Saple, dean of JJ Hospital, who took care of GT as part of the JJ group of hospitals until more than a year ago. However, this has failed to translate into members of the community availing themselves of the services.

"We provide medical attention to whoever comes, but it is not our job to bring in patients to the hospital," said a doctor at GT Hospital, who has been there for nearly a decade. He hinted that the ward could be utilised to introduce a specialty service such as cardiology or nephrology, while the dedicated transgender services could continue on a smaller scale — perhaps 15 beds instead of 40. GT Hospital dean Dr Jitendra Sakpal stated that there are no plans to shut it down.

According to the 2011 Census, Mumbai is home to 50,000 transgender people, though some estimates suggest the population is closer to 70,000. Vasavi Chilaka, a 38-year-old transgender person who works with Teiveni Samaj, a dedicated NGO for trans people in Malwani, said the experience of community workers suggests most individuals today are aged between 19 and 35 and do not have major health issues.

As for older trans women dealing with other health concerns, Vasavi said, "Most in the community live in the suburbs or along the Harbour Line. If there is a need for admission, many either visit their closest hospital or institutions like Sion Hospital or KEM, which the community has been frequenting for a long time. We are thankful that there was an attempt to start an initiative solely for us. Now, there needs to be another round of needs assessment and consultations for hospital authorities to understand how to take it forward."

Aarohi W, a trans woman working as a trans programme manager with Humsafar Trust, said for the younger trans population, priorities are appearance-based treatments such as hormonal therapy, laser therapy, sex reassignment, hair transplants, and breast implantation. This is also why JJ Hospital's initiative to provide free voice transition services for transgender people, launched more than six months ago, has only seen two people avail themselves of the service.

Bombay Hospital recently introduced a package for the same procedure, reducing the cost from Rs 75,000 to Rs 20,000 for those without health insurance. The procedure is performed at both hospitals by Dr Nupur Nerurkar.

Sakshi Mane, another trans woman from Humsafar Trust, said, "For many trans people, the need for a voice change is at the bottom of the list, which is why the numbers are likely low. There are also other life needs, like earning a living, that must be taken care of. But more awareness about this procedure at JJ Hospital is also needed."