The Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative (TAI), in association with VimoSEWA, a trust operated by the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), has launched a health insurance programme for the transgender community and marginalised women. | |
| TAI is administered by the Voluntary Health Services (VHS) with financial support from Avahan "" the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. |
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| The insurance scheme has been introduced in Salem district on a pilot basis and 1,000 people are covered under the programme. Launching the insurance scheme at an event in Chennai, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the transgender community must be given all rights due to them. |
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| He added that treatment for HIV-affected patients should not be the only objective of TAI, but it should also create awareness about the treatment facilities available for them. |
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| TAI Vizhudugal, a community-based organisation, started and run by marginal women and the transgender community, has collected premium worth Rs 2,96,077 from over 1,000 people in the Salem district. |
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| The premium rates are Rs 281 and Rs 132 for adults and children respectively, which will provide an insurance cover of Rs 5,000. The insurance cover will be for one year, starting from July 1. Of the 1,000 insured, 650 are marginalised women while the rest belong to the transgender community. |
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| VimoSEWA, will take up the role of processing the insurance claims with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company. TAI and VimoSEWA have tied up with eight hospitals in Salem district for extending medical facilities under the scheme. |
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