The first ever health clinic for sex workers and their families has been opened in Delhi’s red light area, G B Road, with facilities for routine check-ups and treatment. The clinic was officially opened on Sunday. It was started in a section of a defunct school by some civil society groups.
Shalini (name changed), a sex worker, said she hopes the facility will help her combat the stigma she faces visiting clinics in other parts of the city.
“Even doctors start behaving differently when they find out that we are sex workers and this clinic can help change that because it is for people like us,” she told PTI.
The NGO Sewa Bharti established this clinic in collaboration with the Utkarsh Initiative to provide health facilities to sex workers and their families. This clinic will have seven doctors.
“We have launched this initiative on the first day of the year to start this year with the right initiative towards the marginalized and exploited sections of the society,” said Sushil Gupta, General Secretary, Sewa Bharti Delhi Province.
He said this is the first such clinic in the area and aims to address the health issues faced by sex workers while maintaining their dignity and respect.
G B Road, or Garstin Bastion Road, is a road running from Ajmeri Gate to Lahori Gate in Delhi. It is a red light district that has many brothels and is estimated to have over 1,000 sex workers.