Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Saturday issued a notice to RML hospital in Delhi after it allegedly denied a free gender reassignment surgery to a trans woman.
Taking to X, Swati Maliwal posted the letter and captioned the post as, "A trans woman was allegedly denied free sex reassignment surgery at RML hospital.
"We have issued notices to the hospital, Delhi and Central Govt. Free sex reassignment surgeries are a right of transgenders and should be provided to them!"
Complaint from Trans Woman
The DCW also issued notices to state and central governments over complaints regarding the non-availability of free sex reassignment surgery in public hospitals, it said in a statement on Saturday.
"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 has stated that even though free SRS have started in government hospitals however, she is not able to get her surgery conducted in the hospital," it added.
Seeking Explanations and Data
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.
Ensuring Access to Free SRS
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.
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