‘Health access hurdle, unchecked doses pose risks for trans persons’
Times of India | 30 December 2024
Kolkata: Healthcare accessibility hurdles, unregulated hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and failure to follow up on post-sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) pose serious health risks to transgender community members, many of whom end up with complications, including stroke, cardiovascular, liver and bone health issues.
"The community needs to be aware of health complications if they do not go for regular follow-ups after sexual reassignment surgery and the side-effects of unmonitored hormone therapy," said endocrinology professor Debmalya Sanyal at a two-day interactive conference by Indian Professional Association for Transgender Health, which is looking to address the healthcare accessibility issues often faced by trans-gender persons.
In some of the community members' haste in the gender transformation process, some often took an overdose of hormones for quicker results, said doctors. Some were also found to self-medicate, following the prescription of a fellow member owing to healthcare access issues, though the dose for every individual differed, said a doctor, adding incorrect doses could alter cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
The IPATH conference, the first in eastern India, was held at KPC Medical College in association with the Endocrine Society of Bengal. The two-day event offered the community a platform to clear their doubts and concerns through interaction with doctors from across the country about common health issues as well as SRS and HRT-specific problems. "Transgender health is much neglected. This was the first IPATHCON in eastern India, where there was extensive interaction between community members and doctors," said Sanyal, also secretary of Endocrine Society of Bengal.
Amid the low count of health facilities for transgender persons, at least two private hospitals in Kolkata—KPC Medical College and Peerless Hospital—have dedicated clinics for the community. "Accessibility to basic healthcare services is a challenge for the transgender community in India. There is a requirement to move on trans-inclusion in healthcare from HIV and SRS to routine comprehensive preventive care services, considering the higher burden of health problems in the community and the impact of poor access on their lives," said Subhrojyoti Bhowmick, vice-president, Projects and Academic Initiatives, KPC Hospital.