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Transgender-Competent Care Training for Healthcare Provider

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Transgender-Competent Care Training for Healthcare Provider

In August 2024, the SASEA platform, in collaboration with the Malaysian AIDS Council and key partners, hosted a Transgender-Competent Care Training program for healthcare providers. This groundbreaking event aimed to improve healthcare services for transgender individuals across Southeast Asia. With 34 participants attending from various healthcare institutions, the two-day training was held at The Gardens Hotel & Residences, Kuala Lumpur, and spearheaded by organizations such as the Center of Excellence in Transgender Health at Chulalongkorn University and the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI).

Training Objectives and Topics

The goal of the training was to equip healthcare providers with the skills and knowledge necessary to offer competent, respectful, and informed care to transgender patients. Key areas covered included:

  • Understanding SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics)
  • Gender-Affirming Hormone Treatment: Guidelines and best practices
  • Mental Health and Substance Use among transgender individuals
  • Gender-Affirming Surgery
  • Updates on HIV and STI prevention and treatment specific to transgender people
  • Group Workshops focused on developing one-year action plans for clinics in urban and rural areas

Participants also learned from the successful implementation of transgender-specific services at Thailand’s Tangerine Clinic, a pioneer in gender-affirming healthcare.

Training Resources

To further support learning, attendees received access to valuable resources, including:

  • The Thai Handbook of Transgender Healthcare Services (English version)
  • Trans Health 101 – an online course providing foundational knowledge on transgender health and HIV sensitivity
  • Gender-Affirming Hormone Treatment Counseling Tools

These resources provide ongoing support as healthcare professionals continue to improve their services for transgender patients.

Training Outcomes and Feedback

The impact of the training was clear, with participant knowledge levels rising from an average of 75% before the training to 90% after. When asked about the most useful parts of the training, participants highlighted:

  • The session on gender-affirming hormone treatment
  • Expert experience sharing from across the region
  • Access to evidence-based, reliable information

The positive reception demonstrates the growing commitment to enhancing transgender healthcare across Southeast Asia.

Next Steps

Participants are now tasked with implementing their action plans within their clinics and institutions. To ensure continued success, the training organizers are committed to:

  • Providing ongoing technical support to participants
  • Collecting feedback to refine future training sessions
  • Monitoring progress and scaling up services where necessary
  • Establishing a pilot transgender-led clinic in Malaysia, integrating HIV, gender-affirming, and related health services.

With this initiative, the SASEA platform, in partnership with Coalition PLUS and other regional leaders, continues to advance healthcare for transgender people, helping to close gaps and promote equality in health services.