Sex change ops: 25-year wait

The queue for gender-change surgery is so long that those on it could wait as much as 25 years. There are only two public facilities in South Africa where the operations can be performed.

According to an article in the SA Medical Journal written by Dr Don Wilson, Groote Schuur Hospital's gender reassignment unit hasassisted 102 patients since it was formed in 2009.

"Of these, 83% had realised they were gender-diverse as adolescents or when younger, while 20% had co-existent psychiatric disorders. More than 60% were employed. Almost half [of the total number of patients] were white, 40% coloured and about 10% black", wrote Wilson.

Clinical social worker Ronald Adinall said Groote Schuur's waiting list for sex-change surgery would result in many applicants waiting 15 to 25 years.

"Most medical aids don't cover it, and many medical aids are still deeming it cosmetic.

"Groote Schuur, on its [surgery] schedule, is allowed only four gender-realignment surgeries a year, with an average of three to four new clients coming onto the waiting list each month," said Adinall.

Sex-change surgery was very expensive but the cost of access to support services was not, he said. The long-term benefits of the surgery for "transgendered" people far outweighed the initial costs of the operation.

Adinall said he had provided support to just over 100 sex-change clients over eight years, and only three could afford to travel overseas to have surgery.

"Three have literally sold their homes and funded themselves to go to Thailand [for the surgery], but for the clientele that I serve it's not an option," said Adinall.

Clinical psychologist Dr Marlene Arendt said Thailand had "brilliant surgeons" who performed operations at a "far more affordable" rate than other countries.

She said a person seeking a sex change in Thailand would need at least R200000, which included a three-month stay in the country.

The other public hospital in South Africa that carries out sex-change surgery, Steve Biko Academic in Pretoria, performs only four operations a year.

An advocacy co-ordinator for Transgender and Intersex Africa, Nthabiseng Mokoena, said: "We have more than 500 constituents [awaiting surgery] and a large proportion of them just don't have access to this surgery.

"Chris Hani-Baragwanath have said they can do transgender surgery but they do not have experience with specialised services.

"Transgender healthcare needs to be prioritised," said Mokoena.