Odisha forms medical boards at district level to assist transgenders

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has set up medical boards at the district level to assist transgender persons, a health department order said.

The Health and Family Welfare department has constituted medical boards at district level for consultation, treatment and counselling facilities for transgender persons during their sex reassignment surgery, it said.

The medical boards have been set up as per the recommendation made by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to central and state authorities.

"As per the advisory issued by NHRC for ensuring the welfare of transgender persons to the union and state government, in order to enhance the welfare and rights of transgender persons, a district level medical board is hereby constituted….to assist transgender persons regarding their health issues," said the order issued by the department on December 1.

Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM&PHO) has been appointed as chairman of the six-member medical board while district medical officer (medical superintendent) is the member convenor.

Specialists in surgery, obstetricians and gynaecologists, psychiatry or mental health and a clinical psychologist are the other members of the panel.

As per the order, the board will meet as and when required as per requests received from transgender persons.

Last month, complying with another recommendation made by the NHRC, the Odisha Higher Education department had directed registrars and principals of all the universities and degree colleges in the state to ensure the safety of the transgenders on campuses.

The department had requested the educational institutes to protect gender non-conforming students from bullying, harassment or other forms of violence in their respective jurisdictions.

On September 26, the NHRC had issued the advisory to the central and state governments and UT administrations to ensure the welfare of transgender persons.