Community based Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities in Barguna District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Disable Development and Educational Foundation (DDEF) is a national-level disability-focused organization working to promote the well-being, human rights, and rehabilitation of children, orphans, and persons with disabilities in Patharghata Upazila, Barguna district, Bangladesh. The region is economically poor, and the majority of the population depends on agriculture and fishing for their day-to-day living and survival. It is also heavily affected by climate change threats and natural disasters. As such, persons with disabilities in this region lack necessary better healthcare services, reasonable accommodation, and rehabilitation support. Considering such a socio-economic scenario has conducted research to identify the needs and impacts a rehabilitation Centre will play in the lives of persons with disabilities in the community. Methodology & data Collection: For data collection, DDEF followed a structured questionnaire and interviewed 50 individuals from diverse backgrounds including persons with disabilities, community leaders, local government representatives, government officials, policymakers, NGO officials, and media representatives. Besides the structured interviews, focused group discussions also took place to collect relevant data. Relevant literature has also been consulted by the researcher. Results: The field-level data and information have been analyzed using modern techniques. The research results reflect the need of a modern rehabilitation Centre in the locality to cater to the needs of the persons with disabilities, and orphans living in the Upazila. Among these marginalized populations, 80 % of PwDs do not have access to better healthcare services and rehabilitation facilities. The majority of the respondents mentioned that economic barriers are largely affecting them to lead a decent life fulfilling their fundamental rights. Recommendations: The following are the recommendations of the study – • An integrated rehabilitation Centre will meet the demands of the persons with disabilities. • Ensuring healthcare services and rehabilitation support is a high priority in the community • NGOs should come forward to enhance the living standard of the disadvantaged population • National and international donors need to extend their support for establishing a rehabilitation Centre in the region