PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Tuesday directed administrations of government hospitals in the province to allocate separate wards/rooms for transgender to facilitate them in getting equal health facilities.
A notification was issued on behalf of Chief Minister Mehmood Khan from CM House directing that getting health facilities is the right of every individual and government will ensure that the persons known as transgender are not deprived of their rights.
The order is issued under the KP Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 with the aim to eliminate discrimination transgender persons are facing in state-run hospitals in the province. “Chief Minister has desired to take necessary steps needed for providing a safe environment to the people known as transgender in government hospitals and other healthcare institutions of the province,” said the notification.
In pursuance of the above directions, said the order, the competent authority is pleased to provide separate wards/rooms for transgender persons in all Government hospitals across the Province with immediate effect.
The notification further provided that in the MTI Hospitals; a total of 5 beds will be reserved for transgender persons, in Category A & B hospitals, a total of four beds will be allocated for transgender while three beds will have to be allocated for them in category C hospitals in the province.
All the Medical Superintendents, Medical Directors and District officers in KP were directed to ensure the implementation of the order in letter and spirit. The updated status in this regard may be shared with Curative Section of Directorate General of Health Services, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for necessary intimation to Federal Ministry of Human Rights.
Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari and Minister for National Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani inaugurated a separate ward for transgender people at Pims, Islamabad in December, last year.
