Dhaka, Nov. 26 -- Bangladesh has suffered tremendously while trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare system faced unprecedented challenges in adjusting to the increased demand for medical care of COVID-19 patients. As the people's hardships escalated, many of the cracks in our healthcare system were starkly revealed to all, yet again. For persons with disabilities, accessing and availing healthcare became exceedingly difficult during the pandemic, placing them at a higher risk than the general populace.

About1.5 crore people live with disabilities in Bangladesh. Disability is present among approximately 9.2 per cent of the total population according to conservative estimations (BBS). However, persons with disabilities r...