Philippine Professional Association for Transgender Health: Paving the Way for Transgender Health in the Philippines
Transgender people, whose gender identity expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with their sex assigned at birth, have been struggling to access inclusive healthcare for their gender-affirming care including hormone therapy and surgery. However, there is also a challenge among healthcare providers for lacking the competency since transgender-related health is not part of the current academic curriculum or existing specialty training. Only professionals who’d have particular interest in transgender health would have the initiative to gather more knowledge in the field either through vast reading or fellowship in another country like the USA or Thailand.
In the Philippines, there have been initiatives by individual specialists from the field of internal medicine, gynecology, psychology, and adolescent medicine, or by the efforts of civil society organizations in providing transgender-focused services.
LoveYourself, through the support of Stop AIDS Now, launched Victoria Health and Wellness Center in December 2016 to deliver transgender health integrated in sexual health by offering people HIV screening, counseling on transgender concerns, basic physical health check-ups, basic baseline laboratory procedures, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and referrals to specialists.
In July 2017, the ISEAN-Hivos Program rolled out a Training of Trainers on Transgender Health Module with the aim of influencing more gender-sensitive trans-inclusive health care providers and to expand the transgender health delivery in the Philippines.
Hospital facilities started expanding their women’s health clinics and extending services for transgender people, like the establishment of the Gender Diversity Clinic of Manila Med Center (2018), and Center for Gender Health and Wellness of The Medical City (2020).
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health Inc. (WPATH), an international, inter-disciplinary non-profit organization devoted to promoting evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy and respect in transgender health, has published the Standards of Care as a guide for the provision of health care specific for the transgender needs. An AsiaPATH was established to address the regional differences in health rights, social and legal environments in Asia, defining its own aspiration and shared purposes to advance health for transgender and gender diverse people.
It is in this direction that the Philippine Professional Association for Transgender health (PPATH), the first country specific professional association for transgender health in Southeast Asia, aims to pave a way for professionals and the community to working together towards a Philippines wherein transgender and gender diverse people have access to compassionate, evidence-based and culturally appropriate healthcare and social service anchored on justice and equality for all. PPATH’s mission is to promote and deliver individualised care for transgender and gender diverse people, develop responsive policies based on evidence and documented best practices, and foster research, innovation and collaboration.
After the establishment of PPATH, a lot of exciting activities are geared towards this year so stay tuned for more updates.