Mitr Clinic, one of the first clinics in Hyderabad providing healthcare for transgender persons, has shut down after its funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was halted. All USAID funding has been frozen for 90 days following an order from US President Donald Trump.
The abrupt funding halt has affected several global initiatives, including Project ACCELERATE, under which Mitr Clinic operated. ACCELERATE provides preventive and treatment services across the HIV care continuum, supporting members of the trans community.
Established in January 2021, Mitr Clinic functioned as a one-stop center, offering free services such as general health consultations, HIV counseling and screening, HIV/STI treatment, mental health support, gender affirmation services, and assistance in accessing legal and social schemes.
The clinic employed seven transgender persons and provided services to 150–200 LGBTQIA+ individuals. By June 2024, it had registered over 4,900 clients, focusing on the high HIV burden among transgender individuals, with a 6% HIV positivity rate and 83% of those diagnosed receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to an individual associated with the clinic.
US President Trump, who signed an executive order on his first day in office mandating a 90-day freeze on all US foreign aid, has long criticized what he calls “wasteful” international spending.