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Sassoon first government hospital in Maharashtra with separate ward for third gender
Sassoon hospital has ensured that the ward will for third gender will be fully quipped with state- of-the-art facilities and work on the same will begin soon
PUNE Pune’s Sassoon General hospital will soon by the first government hospital in the state to have a separate ward for what is being identified as the “third gender”.
Medically the “third gender” covers all persons not identifying as female or male, due to physical attributes or even out of personal choice.
The decision was made based on a suggestion made by the newly appointed chairperson of the state women commission, Rupali Chakankar.
Sassoon hospital has ensured that the ward will be fully quipped with state- of-the-art facilities and work on the same will begin soon.
Chakankar, during her visit to the new 11-storey building on Wednesday, dedicated for Covid-19 treatment and housing an oxygen plant, interacted with medical and nursing students, resident doctors, resident nurses and women patients.
Chakankar also suggested that CCTV cameras be placed on the road between the police station and hospital, a matter she said she will take up with the local police.
Dr Vinayak Kale, dean of the hospital said, “This will be the first third gender-dedicated ward in any hospital, be it private or government. She had requested for a 25 bedded ward, but we will start first with about 10-15 beds and then, as required, we will increase. As of now, any person who is a third gender is admitted as per their preference in either the men’s ward or the women’s ward. Next week we will have a meeting with the core committee with regards to the place where the ward would be. We are hopping it will be set up the coming few weeks. We will also have special psychiatric doctors for the wards as patients require counselling during treatment.”
