India's First Transgender Clinic Re-Opens In Hyderabad

India's first clinic for transgender people has reopened in Hyderabad's Narayanguda, months after it was shut down following a funding freeze by the United States Agency for International Development or USAID. Sabrang Clinic, formerly known as Mitr Clinic, has reopened as a community-run healthcare centre with support from the Tata Trusts. The clinic offers crucial medical support, including HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) treatment, counselling, and gender affirmation services to thousands of transgender people. It has been operating since 2021 in Hyderabad, Pune, and Thane.

Cost Of Transgender Healthcare In India

On January 20, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order effectively “pausing” foreign development assistance for 90 days. The Mitr clinic for transgenders in India shut down, affecting over 5,000 beneficiaries, according to the Times of India. According to reports, the clinic’s budget was ₹2.5 lakh per month.

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However, it has now reopened with the help of Tata Trusts, according to project lead Subash Ghosh. Speaking to The Hindu, he said, "We got the confirmation in April, and operations resumed from May. Tata has committed ₹1,500 per person per year. Under the earlier USAID programme, funding stood at ₹1,900 per person per year.

According to BBC Hindi, over 3,000 patients have been served since the clinic started in 2021. The first Mitr clinic in Hyderabad offered care to 150 to 200 transgender patients each month, with 6% to 8% of patients undergoing treatment for HIV, a staff member said. And 75% to 80% of this population was accessing health services for the first time," the staffer added.

The clinic not only offers aid to trans patients, but also employs trans healthcare professionals. "From doctors to clinic managers, everyone is from the community," Subash Ghosh told The Hindu. The staff includes one medical officer, one nurse, one counsellor, and two outreach workers. 

India is estimated to have around two million transgender people, though activists say the number is higher. Despite a 2014 Supreme Court ruling for transgender human rights, stigma and discrimination have limited their access to healthcare and education. The Sabrang clinic in Narayanguda is open from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.