Sex change surgery to be free
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Brazil’s public health system will begin providing free sex-change operations in compliance with a court order, the Health Ministry said.
Ministry spokesman Edmilson Oliveira da Silva said the government would not appeal Wednesday’s ruling by a panel of federal judges giving the government 30 days to offer the procedure or face fines of $5,000 a day.
Federal prosecutors from Rio Grande do Sul state had argued that sexual reassignment surgery is covered under a constitutional clause guaranteeing medical care as a basic right.
The Health Ministry said it would be up to local health officials to decide who qualifies for the surgery.
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