India's First Transgender Clinics Close Following USAID Funding Freeze

The funding halt by the Trump administration disrupts healthcare services for nearly 5,000 people across three clinics in India.

India's first three transgender-focused clinics, located in Hyderabad, Kalyan, and Pune, have ceased operations due to a funding freeze by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The clinics, known as Mitr Clinics, provided critical services, including hormone therapy guidance, mental health counseling, HIV treatment, and legal aid.
The funding freeze stems from U.S. President Donald Trump's 90-day pause on foreign aid to align projects with his 'America First' policy.
A waiver from USAID allows life-saving activities, such as antiretroviral medication for HIV patients, to continue temporarily.
Organizers are seeking alternative funding sources to sustain the clinics, which served up to 5,000 people annually and employed members of the transgender community.