Almost four years after Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY was launched, the Government has now finally brought the transgender persons under the ambit of the central health scheme, ensuring them to avail composite healthcare services.
A pact has been inked between the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Union Health Ministry and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment which will fund Rs. 5 lakh insurance cover per beneficiary per annum.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday hailed the MoU as one of its kind in the country which will give impetus to ensuring a rightful and respectable place for transgenders. The MoU will extend all healthcare benefits to transgender persons (holding a transgender certificate issued by the National Portal for transgender persons) across the country, Mandaviya said.
A comprehensive package is being prepared for transgender category including the existing AB PM-JAY packages and specific packages like Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) and treatment for transgenders, he said.
They will be eligible to seek treatment in any of the AB PM-JAY empanelled hospitals across the country, where specific packages are available. The scheme would cover all transgender persons not receiving such benefits from other centre/state sponsored schemes.
The pact was signed by Dr R S Sharma, CEO, NHA and R Subramanyam, Secretary DoSJE in presence of Mandaviya, and Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. The MoU comes in the wake of various rights entitled to the community under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
According to it, the Government must take steps to provide health facilities to transgender persons, including separate HIV surveillance centres and gender affirmation surgery. Section 15 of the Act also mandates that the government must provide hormonal therapy and counselling, both before and after the surgery. “This MoU has laid the foundation for a landmark transformational reform in the society. The move, which provides special healthcare benefits to the transgender community, goes beyond ensuring equality for the disadvantaged community”, said the Union Health Minister.
Noting that the transgender community suffers stigma and exclusion, he stressed that the provisioning of healthcare services under AB-PMJAY is a significant and firm step towards an inclusive society.
The Minister emphasised that the government is working in a decisive way to not only recognise rights of the transgender community but has taken various systematic steps for their welfare.
The Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment enlisted several steps taken by MoSJE for implementing the package of five assurances of education, life with dignity, health support, opportunities for livelihood and skill enhancement, he said these steps have been taken to ensure that marginalised and disadvantaged sections of the population can emerge from restrictive social constructs by providing them dignified life and livelihood.