New Delhi : The Delhi Government was issued a notice by the DelhiCommission for Women (DCW) that sought an order to all government hospitals having requisite facilities to provide free sex reassignment surgeries (SRS) to transgender people.In July, the DCW after hearing the grievances of the transgender community had urged the Centre and Delhi government-run hospitals to facilitate free sex reassignment surgeries for people. In turn the Delhi Government replied to the notice by stating that the facility for SRS was not available in Delhi government hospitals.
Later, in August, the DCW issued a notice to the city government’s health department seeking details of a committee formed by it to look into the absence of a facility for sex reassignment surgeries in state-run hospitals.According to the commission, when a notice was sent to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) seeking the status of the committee, it was informed that a facility of free SRS was available at the burns and plastic surgery department of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Delhi. “It is also informed that no committee in this regard has been set up,” said the notice.
The notice added that as the Delhi government is providing the treatment free of cost at one hospital, it can do the same at all government hospitals. “It is evident that since the Government of NCT of Delhi is now already providing free of cost Sex Reassignment Surgery in one hospital, the same can be done in all hospitals having the requisite resources. Clearly, this is not a policy matter and a committee is not needed to decide the same. The commission wishes to reiterate that this is a critical issue that affects the life and liberty of transgenders,” said the notice issued by the commission.