In a move that is meant to empower members of the transgender community, a third gender person has been engaged as the help desk volunteer at the District Headquarters Hospital(DHH) here.
Lipsa Parida has been the help desk volunteer who will assist the physically handicapped persons coming for treatment , and also provide pregnant,distressed and destitute woman various kinds of help like meeting doctors and getting admission etc.
According to District Social Security Officer Pravas Chandra Das, the 34-year-old transgender of Eradanga village under Aul block, had recently met the district Collector for a job.
Collector Samarth Verma later directed the CDMO of Kendrapada to consider Parida's case for engaging her as per her qualification. She would get a monthly remuneration of Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000. She stated that she was extremely happy about it. She would wholeheartedly serve the patients, she added.
Members of the transgender community face a lot of discrimination and marginalisation in society. They are usually disowned by their families and when they go out in search of work to fend for themselves, many are rejected because of their transgender identity. This gesture of the district administration would boost confidence among them.