<p>The transgender community has alleged that they have been severely discriminated against in the healthcare system, while the pandemic has also wrecked their livelihood.</p>.<p>Nearly 10,000 transgender people in the city depend on sex work or begging for their livelihood as most are not educated to get regular employment.</p>.<p><span class="italic">DH</span> spoke to several members of the community and found out that they have been pushed into a financial crisis since last year’s lockdown and many have left town.</p>.<p>“The second lockdown will definitely leave our community with greater financial problems and mental disturbance. People living with families are somehow surviving, but those living independently have lost their livelihood. There is no support from the government either,” said Amulya, a transgender activist.</p>.<p>The community is also finding it challenging to get medical care during the pandemic and there is no clear record of the number of infections among the transgenders.</p>.<p>“We are already victims of stigma surrounding trans people and Covid-19 only adds to the discrimination”, said Sana Sree, a trans activist at Ondede Swatantra.</p>.<p>A transgender person said when she contracted Covid-19 in July 2020, she was admitted to a hospital near Hoskote. While the doctor visited other patients regularly, she received just one visit in her 10 days of stay.</p>.<p>Members of the community said when they go for RT-PCR tests people hesitate to stand next to them at testing centres. The community urged the government for doorstep vaccination as they did not want to go through discrimination at the vaccination centres.</p>.<p>“Ever since Covid started, the transgender community has been pushed to a corner. Even those living with serious ailments are not receiving medical attention when they contract the virus,” said Akkai Padmashali, the city’s most prominent trans rights activist.</p>.<p>“Our organisation is helping people with grocery kits and toiletries. But even we do not have enough financial resources to provide more than this and the government has been of no help,” she added.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Fatalities higher than reported</strong></p>.<p>BBMP’s data from December 2020 revealed that 54 transgenders were infected by Covid-19 and three of them died. However, activists say that there have been more cases, including casualties.</p>.<p>BBMP health officials could not be reached for comments.</p>
<p>The transgender community has alleged that they have been severely discriminated against in the healthcare system, while the pandemic has also wrecked their livelihood.</p>.<p>Nearly 10,000 transgender people in the city depend on sex work or begging for their livelihood as most are not educated to get regular employment.</p>.<p><span class="italic">DH</span> spoke to several members of the community and found out that they have been pushed into a financial crisis since last year’s lockdown and many have left town.</p>.<p>“The second lockdown will definitely leave our community with greater financial problems and mental disturbance. People living with families are somehow surviving, but those living independently have lost their livelihood. There is no support from the government either,” said Amulya, a transgender activist.</p>.<p>The community is also finding it challenging to get medical care during the pandemic and there is no clear record of the number of infections among the transgenders.</p>.<p>“We are already victims of stigma surrounding trans people and Covid-19 only adds to the discrimination”, said Sana Sree, a trans activist at Ondede Swatantra.</p>.<p>A transgender person said when she contracted Covid-19 in July 2020, she was admitted to a hospital near Hoskote. While the doctor visited other patients regularly, she received just one visit in her 10 days of stay.</p>.<p>Members of the community said when they go for RT-PCR tests people hesitate to stand next to them at testing centres. The community urged the government for doorstep vaccination as they did not want to go through discrimination at the vaccination centres.</p>.<p>“Ever since Covid started, the transgender community has been pushed to a corner. Even those living with serious ailments are not receiving medical attention when they contract the virus,” said Akkai Padmashali, the city’s most prominent trans rights activist.</p>.<p>“Our organisation is helping people with grocery kits and toiletries. But even we do not have enough financial resources to provide more than this and the government has been of no help,” she added.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Fatalities higher than reported</strong></p>.<p>BBMP’s data from December 2020 revealed that 54 transgenders were infected by Covid-19 and three of them died. However, activists say that there have been more cases, including casualties.</p>.<p>BBMP health officials could not be reached for comments.</p>
