DCW notice to Delhi govt, Centre over absence of free sex reassignment surgery in govt hospitals

The commission received a complaint from a trans woman regarding the non-availability of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML Hospital), Delhi, the women's panel said.

New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women has issued notices to Central and State governments over complaints regarding the non-availability of free sex reassignment surgery in public hospitals, it said in a statement on Saturday. The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued notices to RML Hospital and Central and State governments over the non-availability of free sex reassignment surgery in public health care facilities.

"The Commission received a complaint from a trans woman regarding non-availability of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML Hospital), Delhi," the women's panel said. "The complainant has submitted that she approached the hospital for free sex reassignment surgery. She stated that even though free SRS has started in government hospitals, however, she is not able to get her surgery conducted in the hospital," it added.

Last November, the Directorate General of Health Services in Delhi issued a circular, directing all government hospitals having a 'Burn and Plastic Ward', along with the facility of plastic surgeons, to provide free sex reassignment surgeries after the DCW had raised the issue with the department, it said.

The DCW has asked the hospital for the reasons for not performing the complainant's sex reassignment surgery, along with details of steps taken to perform it. The Commission has also asked the State and Union governments regarding the number of sex reassignment surgeries performed by public hospitals in Delhi since 2022.

The commission also asked for details of steps taken to ensure free sex reassignment surgeries in government hospitals in Delhi, it stated. DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said, "We have received a complaint regarding non-availability of sex reassignment surgery in a prominent hospital. The facility of free sex reassignment surgery should be available at all the government hospitals."

She further said, "After the efforts of DCW, the Delhi government had instructed all the city government hospitals to provide free SRS. I have issued notice to the hospital and the health departments. We will make sure transgenders will be able to get the benefit of free SRS in all the government hospitals." (PTI)