PESHAWAR: To ensure non discrimination in relation to transgender person rights to health services, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to set up separate wards for transgender persons in all public hospitals.
A notification in this regard was issued by Chief Minister Mehmood Khan on Tuesday.
According to the notification, hospitals of the province would get number of beds according to the category in which they fall. 5 beds are proposed to be allocated for transgender community in all Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) of K-P, Whereas, category A and B hospitals would likely to get 4 beds and 3 beds ward is proposed to be set up in category C hospitals of the province.
All the medical superintendents, medical directors and district health officers are directed by the Health Department to ensure the implementation of the order.
The decision has been welcomed by the transgender community. Nayyab Ali a Transgender and rights activist while talking to The Dayspring termed the decision a ‘very kind move’. While referring to the death of Alisha in Peshawar in 2016 who was initially refused to get admitted by the hospital staff when she was shot eight times by displeased customers, she lauded the initiative and said “This was very important for the transgender community of Khayber Pakhtunkhwa, and now after these separate wards the risk of diseases with regards to transgender community can be mitigated” Nayyab said, “This initiative should be taken by rest of the provinces specially Sindh, Baluchistan and Gilgit Baltistan where a lot has to be done in this regard” she added.
While appreciating the move she demanded that transgender community should be given space in government jobs, educational institutes and other departments where they can work like men and women.
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