India's First Transgender Clinic Shuts Down After USAID Freeze

India's first clinic for transgender people has reportedly shut down in three cities after US President Donald Trump stopped foreign aid to it. Mitr Clinic had been operating since 2021 in Hyderabad, Pune, and Thane, on funds from the United States Agency for International Development or USAID. It offered crucial medical support, including HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) treatment, counselling, and gender affirmation services to thousands of transgender people.

Cost Of Transgender Healthcare In India

On January 20, Trump signed an executive order effectively “pausing” US foreign development assistance for 90 days. The clinic for transgenders in India shut down, affecting over 5,000 beneficiaries, according to the Times of India.

Reacting to the clinic’s closure, Elon Musk, billionaire businessman and senior advisor to the Trump administration, wrote on X: “That’s what American tax dollars were funding.” According to reports, the clinic’s budget was ₹2.5 lakh per month.

That’s what American tax dollars were funding https://t.co/E4IQSoj9NV

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 28, 2025

A consultant at the clinic told Indian Express, "We were told overnight that the clinic will cease to function.” Another worker said, “We are still getting calls from community members seeking help for their medical needs. We remain mute, helpless."

Another staff member told BBC Hindi that 6% to 8% of the patients at the three clinics were being treated for HIV. "All these cases were below 30 years of age. And 75% to 80% of this population was accessing health services for the first time."

The first Mitr Clinic for transgenders in Hyderabad offered care to 150 to 200 transgender patients each month, many of whom suffered from HIV. The clinic had a small team of doctors, psychologists and technical staff, according to the BBC.

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.

Recently, the US government said it was going to eliminate more than 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts. This means that very few projects are likely to survive, largely affecting developing countries like India.