The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of millions across the globe, and this was especially true in the case of the transgender community in India. Transgender individuals across India have long been victim to wide spread ignorance and social stigma, exacerbating existing inequalities posed by their socio-economic vulnerability. The spread of the virus and, as a consequence, movement restrictions imposed by the nationwide lockdowns only added to their problems, pushing them deeper into the margins of society. Though the legislation passed in 2019 explicitly necessitated access for transgender persons in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, the failure to implement the Act has generated a lot of criticism. Gender sensitisation campaigns among healthcare professionals would lead to a reduction in unethical practices and better services for transgender individuals. The need to create gender-neutral, safe spaces in medical colleges and healthcare centres, which remain entrenched in the binary, is a must for the safety of transgender individuals. A Rocky Road Impediments to access healthcare services are systemic; lack of documentation owing to the 2019 Transgender Person’s (Protection of Rights) Act stripping away the individual’s right to self-identify by compelling them to prove their gender identity to a District Magistrate. In light of the pandemic, many transgender individuals did not get vaccinated since photo ID proofs were required to register for the vaccination programme. Moreover, many transgender individuals remained apprehensive of vaccination due to lack of awareness and lack of trans-representation in COVID-19 vaccine trials. Dr Aqsa Shaikh, a transgender activist and associate professor in the Department of Community Medicine at Hamdard In- An Approach to Inclusivity Social isolation, discrimination, lack of food, funds and security left the transgender community in India distressed during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns that have not been resolved to date. The community is vulnerable to challenges posed by their socio-economic status. However, the pandemic exacerbated these challenges, particularly with regard to healthcare. The growing concern was not just about the lack of healthcare facilities but also the lack of dialogue about the needs and inclusion of transgender individuals in the healthcare system. Additionally, implementing the recommendation from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and organising vaccination drives and other health campaigns that specifically target the transgender community would garner a more positive response among individuals.
Attaining healthcare security for transgender people is hampered by numerous barriers. There are very few transgender-friendly healthcare services in India. Healthcare gender-friendly healthcare services in India. Healthcare professionals continue to diagnose gender incongruence with the person’s ascribed sex as a mental disease. Transgender people have been hesitant to avail public healthcare facilities, worried that they may be victims, yet again to stigmatisation at the hands of healthcare workers, further discouraging them from reporting symptoms of the virus.
stitute of Medical Sciences and Research, had suggested that vaccine awareness programmes with transgender representation could be the government’s most concrete step towards immunising the community. She also pointed out that doubts about the vaccine’s side-effects, especially for transgender individuals who’d undergone HRT, ART or gender-reaffirming surgery, worried many people.
27 Oct 2022
Raniya Ashraf Ali
