Kathmandu, June 8
For the first time in Nepal, a transgender individual has undergone successful gender affirmation surgery (sex reassignment surgery).
Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital announced the historic achievement during a press conference on Sunday, confirming that a male-to-female sex change operation was successfully performed within the country for the very first time.
The procedure took place during a special surgical camp held from May 26 to 29 by the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery. The camp included a range of surgeries related to facial features, breast reconstruction, and genital reconstruction.
According to a press release from the hospital, “The surgery was performed on a 25-year-old transgender woman from Janakpur. In the operation, tissues from the male genitalia were skillfully used to reconstruct female genitalia.”
The complex procedure was led by internationally renowned plastic surgeon Dr Alireza Hamidian Jaromi and coordinated by departmental head Prof Dr Jayan Man Shrestha. The surgical team included Dr Ishwar Lohani, Dr Sangam Rayamajhi, Dr Samit Sharma, Dr Bikesh Rajbhandari, Dr Himalaya Niraula, and resident doctors Dr Anup Thapa, Dr Sudip Pandit, Dr Ashish Adhikari, Dr Nobel, Dr Isha, and Dr Aswin.
The anesthesia team was headed by Dr Megha Koirala and Dr Pankaj Joshi.
Following the success of the procedure, Prof Dr Shrestha announced that the hospital is now moving forward with plans to establish a dedicated Gender Affirmation Clinic. The clinic will provide transgender individuals with both physical and mental health evaluations and make gender-affirming procedures regularly accessible.
The initiative aims to promote dignity, healthcare access, and recognition for transgender individuals, who often face social, emotional, and physical challenges due to a lack of supportive services.
Until now, transgender people in Nepal had to travel abroad—often at great expense—to undergo such procedures. The availability of this service within the country is expected to offer major relief to the transgender community.
“This kind of operation previously required going abroad, which was costly and difficult,” said Prof Dr Gopal Sedhai. “Now that the procedure is available in Nepal, it brings great relief and hope to the transgender community.”
