Transpersons appeal for special vaccination drive

The south representative of the National Council for Transgender Persons, Gopi Shankar of Madurai, has written to the Health Secretaries of the southern States and Union Territories highlighting that

The south representative of the National Council for Transgender Persons, Gopi Shankar of Madurai, has written to the Health Secretaries of the southern States and Union Territories highlighting that the transgender community faced discrimination while seeking treatment for COVID-19. Gopi Shankar said that he had received complaints from transgender persons on the lack of medical attention. He urged the authorities to ensure that transgender persons get access to hospital beds and vaccination. The COVID-19 pandemic had already wrecked the livelihood of the transgender persons and it was not possible for them to afford quality healthcare, he said. Taking into account the plight of transgender persons who required urgent medical attention, he urged the authorities to ensure that transgender persons get access to hospital beds and treatment by considering allocation of at least five beds exclusively for them in each district. It must be ensured that their access to medicine was not impaired, Gopi Shankar said.