E-Paper
Pune’s first dedicated ward for transgenders opens at Sassoon Hospital
The 24-bed ward at SGH and BJMC will not only provide clinical and medical treatment for transgenders, but also offer mental health counselling
The city’s first dedicated ward for transgenders has opened at the Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and BJ Medical College (BJMC). With this, SGH becomes the second hospital in the state after GT Hospital, Mumbai, to start a dedicated ward for the transgender community. The 24-bed ward at SGH and BJMC will not only provide clinical and medical treatment for transgenders, but also offer mental health counselling.
There had been many incidents in the past wherein members of the transgender community felt uncomfortable being admitted to male wards, especially in the face of resistance from female patients. This served as the trigger for setting up of a separate ward for transgenders.
Inaugurating the ward on Wednesday, minister of medical education, Hasan Mushrif, said that there was need for a separate ward for transgenders. Dr Ajay Chandanwale, director of medical education and research (DMER) and other officials were also present on the occasion.
Dr Sanjeev Thakur, dean of BJMC, said that currently, they would focus on the general health of the community rather than gender reassignment surgeries. “The ward has 24 beds and two intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The sensitisation training of the staff has been carried out. The ward will include facilities like restrooms, examination rooms and dressing rooms among others,” he said.
Dr Thakur further informed that depending upon the demand and response from the community, the facilities at the ward can be expanded in future. “We have come up with standard operating protocols for the ward which will be strictly followed,” he added.
Chandni Gore - founder of the Nirbhaya Sanstha, an organisation that works for the rights of transgender people, who had been following up on the issue for the last five years - welcomed the decision wholeheartedly. “I had written to the SGH authorities in 2019 and demanded reserved beds for the community. There was always need for a separate ward for the transgender community,” she said.
Gore further said that the staff at the ward should behave sensibly with patients admitted to the ward. If the hospital considers employing a few members of the staff and security from the trans community, it will add to the patients’ comfort, she said.
Bariatric ward started at SGH
Minister of medical education, Hasan Mushrif, also inaugurated a 10-bed bariatric ward at the Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) and B J Medical College (BJMC) on Wednesday. With this, SGH becomes the first government hospital in western Maharashtra to start a bariatric ward and perform bariatric surgery laparoscopically.
Dr Sanjeev Thakur, dean of BJMC, said that the new ward has been set up on the fourth floor of the new building. “All procedures will be conducted at the hospital free-of-cost. We have dedicated expert teams that will provide medical and surgical management for patients in this ward. There will be no need for citizens to depend on private hospitals for bariatric surgeries,” he said.
