A 16-year-old girl from Solapur has approached the state-run Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy Hospital for a sex reassignment surgery. After Covid, this would be the first case of gender change operation as the medical procedure was kept on hold due to the pandemic. The cost of the surgery will be one-third of what is charged in private hospitals; where the prices range between Rs3 lakh and Rs10 lakh. So far, more than seven people have undergone sex change operations at the state-run hospitals.
Speaking about the teenager's case, Dr Ashok Anand, senior gynaecologist at the JJ hospital, said the patient wants to undergo sex reassignment surgery as she is sexually male oriented. They have consulted the patient and asked her to submit all legal and medical documents before proceeding with the surgery. “It will be a complicated surgery as the patient has a uterus or ovary which needs to be removed. Meanwhile, we will be counselling the girl before she undergoes surgery. The patient will be visiting the hospital this week or Monday with all the documents,” he said.
St George's Hospital first to perform sex change operation
The first sex reassignment surgery at a state-run facility was conducted at the St George's Hospital. In 2018, Lalit Salve, a cop from Beed district, underwent the procedure, after which several people approached the St George's for the life-changing surgery but they were asked to wait as the operation theatre was under construction.
Over 30 calls for sex reassignment surgery
“We have received more than 30 calls for sex reassignment surgery but it can't be done as the country was dealing with a pandemic and there were several protocols and guidelines which had to be followed. Moreover, the hospital was converted to a dedicated Covid facility so other patients were not admitted. Also, the operation theatre where the surgery had to be done was closed due to renovation, but now it has been started again,” said a doctor.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, gender dysphoria involves a conflict between a person’s physical gender and the gender with which they identify, making them uncomfortable with their bodies.
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