Transgender doctors join govt. service in Telangana and creates history

The Telangana government has recruited two transgender medical officers in the state-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH). This is the first time in the history of Indian government service that the transgender community has been recruited in the state.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016 was passed by Lok Sabha on August 1, 2016, and by Rajya Sabha on August 24, 2016.

The Bill was notified in the Gazette of India Extraordinary Part II Section 3 dated September 2, 2016. The Bill provides for the protection of the rights of transgender persons and prohibits discrimination against them in all spheres of life.

India is all set to join the league of countries with a transgender medical service after two doctors from the transgender community joined the government service in Telangana.

Dr. Srinivas Paul, who is from the Transgender community, and Dr. Abhaya Rathod were appointed as Assistant Professors in Osmania Medical College’s Department of Community Medicine.

The development is significant in a state where there were reports about people being denied treatment at some of the hospitals and also advised to leave.

Transgender healthcare professionals will soon be working in the state government hospitals in Telangana. The first two transgender doctors, Dr. Shilpa Srivastava and Dr. Padmaja Reddy made history after they joined the government service on Friday.

I feel great, this will be the first time a transgender will work for a government hospital. Feels great to treat patients without any gender difference, as their healthcare facilitator: Dr Prachi Rathod, Medical Officer, Osmania General Hospital (02.12) pic.twitter.com/K4cmmBWYfA

— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2022