Lok Sabha Question No. 773 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-29
Subject: Healthcare for Transgender Community
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Vijay Kumar Hansdak

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 773 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2024

## HEALTHCARE FOR TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY

## 773. SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to address the barriers in accessing to healthcare services for members of the transgender community;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has any policy/schemes to address the mental health requirements of the members of transgender community; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFA (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) & (b): The various health programmes implemented by the Government of India for all including transgender community under NHM includes operationalisation of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) erstwhile Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) by transforming the existing Sub Centres and Primary Health Centre, support for engaging of health human resource on contractual basis, National Ambulance Services, Mobile Medical Units, ASHAs, Infrastructure strengthening, 24 x 7 Services and First Referral facilities, Prime Minister's National Dialysis Programme, National Quality Assurance Standards implementation and related Activities, LaQshya Certification, Biomedical Equipment Maintenance and Management Programme, Free Diagnostics Service Initiative and Free Drugs Service Initiative. Further, initiatives such as Mission Parivar Vikas, Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs), Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS), Menstrual Hygiene Scheme, Facility Based Newborn Care (FBNC), Home Based Newborn Care Program, Social Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS), Home Based Care for Young Child (HBYC), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), Early Childhood Development (ECD), Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC), Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy, Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) program are supported to increase access to quality healthcare services. Support is also provided to strengthen Universal Immunization programme.

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri- Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is the largest publicly funded health assurance scheme in the world which provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to 12 Crore poor families.

Any individual including transgenders eligible as per the criteria defined under SECC 2011 or those prescribed by State / UTs for non-SECC beneficiaries is entitled to free healthcare services under the scheme.

(c) & (d): The Government is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) across the country supported through the National Health Mission at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. 'National Tele Mental Health Programme' (NTMHP) has been launched to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services by all including transgenders in the country.

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