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Paper short abstract

The present study focuses the inclusiveness of government Digital Health Platforms (DHP) in permitting equitable health access for transgender individuals in India. The main objective of this research is to evaluate how DHP facilitate the access to healthcare services for transgender persons.

Paper long abstract

India’s enduring digital health transition, headed by initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through technology-driven systems. However, the capacity of these digital health inventions remnants uneven, principally for transgender and gender-diverse populations who remain to encounter exclusion from mainstream healthcare services. The present study focuses the inclusiveness of government Digital Health Platforms (DHP) and digital identity (ID) systems in permitting equitable health access for transgender individuals in India. The main objective of this research is to evaluate how DHP especially those linked to identity authentication systems like Aadhaar facilitate the access to healthcare services for transgender persons. A transgender identity card (TGID) was introduced in 2020 to improve inclusion, but uptake remains very low – less than 5% of the estimated trans population have obtained one – due to bureaucratic delays, technical glitches, and privacy concerns. These challenges are compounded by systemic social exclusion (over 80% of trans individuals do not live in their natal family households, making family-based health schemes like insurance hard to access) and instances of stigma or discrimination in healthcare settings. The study employs a mixed-methods approach to conduct a mixed-methods study focused on metropolitan cities, working closely with transgender communities to identify gaps and co-create solutions. Thematic analysis will be applied to examine the intersection of digital access, gender identity, and healthcare delivery.