Transgender persons will get composite health-care services under Ayushman Bharat- PMJAY with new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed, on August 24, between National Health Authority (NHA) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE).

Hailing this as a one of its kind MoU in the country which will give impetus to ensuring rightful and respectable place for transgender community by accessing health-care services under AB-PMJAY Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said this MOU has laid the foundation for a landmark transformational reform in the society.

Dr. Mandaviya said that today’s MoU will extend all health-care benefits to transgender persons (holding a transgender certificate issued by the National Portal for transgender persons) across the country.

MoSJE will fund ₹5 lakh insurance cover per transgender beneficiary per annum. A comprehensive package is being prepared for transgender category including the existing AB PM-JAY packages and specific packages (Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) and treatment) for transgenders.

They will be eligible to seek treatment in any of the AB PM-JAY empanelled hospitals across the country, where specific packages are available. The scheme would cover all transgender persons not receiving such benefits from other centre/state sponsored schemes.

“The move which provides special health-care benefits to the Transgender Community goes beyond ensuring equality for the disadvantaged community”, he highlighted. 

Noting that the transgender community suffers stigma and exclusion, he stressed that the provisioning of health-care services under AB-PMJAY is a significant and firm step towards an inclusive society.

Dr. Mandaviya emphasised that the government is working in a decisive way to not only recognise rights of the transgender community but has taken various systematic steps for their welfare.