India’s first comprehensive transgender clinic, Mitr Clinic in Hyderabad, has been forced to shut down following the Trump administration’s decision to freeze U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funding. The clinic was closed after the new US president announced a 90-day freeze on all U.S. foreign assistance, including the allocation to the USAID.
Established in January 2021 through a partnership between USAID and Johns Hopkins University under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Mitr Clinic provided various services to the transgender community. These services included general health care, guidance on hormone therapy, gender-changing procedures, mental health counselling, and HIV/STI treatment.
Mitr Clinic was operated under the USAID-funded Project ACCELERATE, and the program to fight AIDS has been severely hit due to a halt in funding. The clinic was also associated with a free transgender clinic at Hyderabad’s Osmania General Hospital. While Mitr Clinic was supported by other organisations too, USAID fund was crucial for its operations, and that’s why it was forced to shut down after the funding was stopped.
Notably, recently US Senator John Kennedy had questioned why US taxpayer money was given to a transgender clinic in India. In a speech, he had said, “USAID gave money to support electric vehicles in Vietnam with our taxpayers’ money. USAID gave money to a transgender clinic in India. I didn’t know that. I bet the American people didn’t know that. Musk also found that USD 1.5 million was given to Serbian LGBT organisations. They got the money to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbian workplaces and business communities.”
Notably, the Trump administration has announced plans to cut over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, amounting to a reduction of $60 billion in assistance worldwide. This decision aligns with efforts to decrease the size of the federal government, reduce government expenses, and eliminate programs perceived to advance a liberal agenda.
The funding freeze has also led to political turmoil in India. Indian authorities are investigating claims that USAID spent $21 million to influence Indian elections, based on a report from the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk. These allegations have intensified debates over foreign interference in India’s internal affairs.
