by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)109
explained that treatment for people with gender dysphoria has now become
more individualised110. The excerpt from the 7th revision of the Standards of
care mentioned the following:
“…. Health professionals recognised that while many individual need both hormone
replacement therapy and surgery to alleviate their gender dysphoria, others need
one only of these treatment options and some need neither. Often with the help of
psychotherapy, some individuals integrate their trans or cross gender feelings into
the gender role they were assigned at birth and do not feel the need to feminise
or masculinise their body. For others, changes in gender role and expression are
sufficient to alleviate dysphoria. Some patients may need hormones, a possible
change in gender role, but not surgery; others may need a change in gender role along
with surgery, but not hormones. In other words, treatment for gender dysphoria has
become more individualised.”111
148.
In the ICESCR, Article 12 provides that everyone is entitled to the enjoyment of
the higher attainable standard of physical and mental health as well as Principle
17 of the Yogyakarta Principles. This section seeks to relate the experience of
discrimination that has affected the right to healthcare of transgender persons.
The inclusion of the transgender healthcare needs in mainstream healthcare
development is rare, save for disease prevention and accessibility of services
particular to sexual transmitted diseases such as human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and etc. The World
Health Organisation’s (WHO) constitution also states that “…the highest
attainable standard of health is a fundamental right of every human being…”.
This means that universal health coverage should be extended to all including
transgender persons.
149.
Health care professionals around the world including mental health
professionals are guided by the International Statistical Classification of
Diseases and related health problems (ICD)112and the American Psychological
Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder
(DSM)113 to code and thus fund, health services114. DSM is the manual used
by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders. The
109 WPATH “is an international, multidisciplinary, professional association who mission is to promote
evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy and respect for transgender health”.
110 7th version of the Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender. P. 9
111 7th version of the Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender. P. 8-9
112 “ICD is the foundation for the identification of health trends and statistics globally, and the
international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. It is the diagnostic classification
standard for all clinical and research purposes”. Accessed via http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/
en/ (accessed on 7 April 2017)
113 “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the handbook used by health
care professionals in the United States and much of the world as the authoritative guide to the
diagnosis of mental disorders”. Accessed via https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/
feedback-and-questions/frequently-asked-questions (accessed on 7 April 2017)
114 Health Policy Project, Asia Pacific Transgender Network, United Nations Development Programme.
2015. Blueprint for the Provision of Comprehensive Care for Trans People and Trans Communities.
Washington, DC: Future Group Health Policy Project. P. 32
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