2% children in Bangladesh live with severe disability
Many forms of disability can be prevented with timely action and many need support, new study reveals
Although there is cost effective intervention and treatment available, many children in Bangladesh are becoming unnecessary disabled. Many more children are living with severe form of disability whereas simple aid or support could reduce the severity and help them leading a normal life. Timely action can prevent many forms of disabilities, bring back children's life from a state of handicapped to normal like other children. A disability prevalence survey conducted by Handicap International (HI) and National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) in 2005 found 5.6 percent of the population living with disability in Bangladesh. But there was no survey particularly on children with disabilities. Child Sight Foundation (CSF) has been conducting a study since 2008 on childhood disability in Bangladesh. The study reveals that about 2 percent children are living with severe form of disabilities in Bangladesh. There is extreme lack of support to these children and most of them are excluded from mainstream education. Some other forms of disability like blindness due to cataract, hearing impairment, cleft lip and palate, club foot, epilepsy can be cured with cost-effective medicine and surgery. Certain forms of disabilities need urgent action, immediate support in order to prevent, reduce severity and for the long term benefit for them. The study was conducted in three districts of Bangladesh — Sirajgonj, Natore and Bogra with the technical support from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The research was lead by Dr M A Muhit, Consultant, Childhood blindness and disability, University of London and Honorary Executive Director of CSF. Dr Muhit said that in most form of severe disabilities, simple aid like hearing aid, white cane, wheelchair, physiotherapy can help improve their situation to a normal life. The study includes cleft palate and cleft lip, visual impairment, hearing loss, epilepsy, hydrocephalous, club foot, cerebral palsy and different form of physical disability etc. The research is a part of a project where 4331 children with various form of disabilities are identified so far by key informant method under the project. Extrapolating the findings of study, it can be visualised that about a million of children living with severe disability are in need of urgent attention and assistance. We should step up efforts to enable access to mainstream services including health, education and help live like a normal child. E-mail: rajib.hossain@thedailystar.net
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