India’s first dedicated transgender clinic, Mitr Clinic in Hyderabad, has been forced to shut down following the Trump administration’s decision to freeze all U.S. foreign aid, including funds allocated to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Launched in January 2021, the clinic was established through a partnership between USAID and Johns Hopkins University under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). It provided healthcare, hormone therapy guidance, gender-affirming procedures, mental health support, and HIV/STI treatment to the transgender community.
The funding freeze has also severely impacted Project ACCELERATE, an AIDS prevention program under which the clinic operated. Though Mitr Clinic received support from other organizations, USAID funds were critical to keeping it open. Without them, the clinic could no longer function.
The closure comes after U.S. Senator John Kennedy questioned why American taxpayer money was funding a transgender clinic in India. In a speech, he criticized USAID for supporting initiatives abroad, including electric vehicles in Vietnam and LGBT programs in Serbia.
The Trump administration has announced plans to cut over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, reducing $60 billion in assistance worldwide. This move is part of efforts to shrink the federal government and cut programs linked to liberal policies.
The funding freeze has also sparked political tensions in India. Authorities are now investigating claims that USAID spent $21 million to influence Indian elections, following a report by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. These allegations have intensified debates over foreign interference in India’s political affairs.
For now, the transgender community in Hyderabad has lost a crucial healthcare resource, leaving many without access to essential medical and support services.