TIRUPATI: As part of the HIV prevention initiatives of NGO Voluntary Health Services (VHS), a one-stop centre and help desk was started at SVRR Government General Hospital here for the transgender community for providing comprehensive services to them. “Setting up a help desk for the transgender community is one of the key milestones to bring light to their lives,” said special secretary (health) GS Naveen Kumar after inaugurating the centre here on Thursday.
Interacting with the members of the centre, Naveen Kumar, who is also Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) project director, suggested naming centre as ‘Shree Center” to minimise stigma and discrimination towards the transgender community in the process of providing health and other services. He also suggested that all medical professionals have to be sensitised on the health issues of the transgender community to provide timely and quality services. Ensure there is no stigma, discrimination and denial in providing services to the transgender community, he stressed.
Naveen also inaugurated the ‘Child-Friendly Play Centre’ in SVRR Government General Hospital which was set up by YRG Care. He said that all healthcare services have to be provided to the children living with HIV/AIDS. He visited the mobile blood bank and suggested the staff to follow all the guidelines while procuring and storing blood.