NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 1547
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10 June 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 15)
Mrs J F Terblanche (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether all provincial hospitals provide (a) hormone and (b) any
other specified treatment to the transgender community; if not, (i)
why not and (ii) which provincial hospitals do not provide such
treatment; if so, (aa) what is the cost of such hormone treatment and
(bb) what are the further relevant details;
(2) whether there are any alternative plans in place for transgender
patients who live in provinces where hospitals do not provide such
treatment; if not, why not; if so, what plans;
(3) whether any tender was issued for the provision of hormone treatment;
if not, why not; if so, (a) when was the tender issued, (b) for what
period was the tender issued, (c) what was the value of the tender and
(d) which pharmaceutical company won the tender;
(4) whether there are cheaper and less toxic hormone treatments
available; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW1712E
REPLY:
1) (a) All provincial hospitals can provide hormone treatment to
transgender patients. Other forms of treatment like surgery are
not available in all, because treatment is highly specialised.
(b) Only 2 centres in South Africa provide complete treatment for
transgender patients (Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Groote
Schuur Hospital)
2) Patients are referred from provinces that do not have the expertise
for assessment and are guided on what is to be done in the interim
until they are reviewed in the centres for further management. The
lists for surgical procedures are long. Discussions are underway with
stakeholders to address the needs of transgender persons.
3) No specific tender was issued for the provision of hormone treatment.
Most hormones required for treatment are available in state hospitals
as part of the pharmaceutical stock. Others require specialist
motivation.
4) Alternative drugs for the treatment of transgender persons are not
known.
END.