KP launches landmark policy for transgender and Intersex healthcare rights
New Mandate Requires Separate Facilities, Non-Discriminatory Treatment in All Public Hospitals to Ensure Dignity and Inclusion
In a significant step towards inclusive healthcare, the Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formally launched the Protection and Welfare Policy on Transgender and Intersex Persons 2025, mandating structural and behavioral reforms across public health facilities.
According to an official circular issued by the Health Sector Reform Unit (HSRU), the policy has been approved and circulated to all relevant stakeholders for immediate implementation. The directive emphasises the policy’s role in safeguarding the rights and dignity of transgender and intersex individuals within the provincial health system.
In a follow-up notification dated October 10, 2023, the Directorate General Health Services instructed all District Health Officers, Regional Directors, and Medical Superintendents of DHQ Hospitals to ensure compliance with the policy. The Key measures of the policy includes establishment of separate registration counters, wards, and washrooms for transgender and intersex patients.
It also direct the assurance of non-discriminatory service charges and respectful treatment and submission of compliance reports to monitor implementation progress.
Secretary health Shahidullah Khan termed the initiative as a progressive shift in KP’s health governance, aligning with broader human rights commitments and aiming to eliminate systemic discrimination in public service delivery.
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