COVID-19 and Healthcare as a Human Right in Bangladesh: The Way Forward

Abstract

The human right to health in Bangladesh has recently encountered unprecedented challenges owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper examines four of such challenges related to the right to health such as (1) adoption of preventive measures, (2) access to health care, (3) healthcare workers’ safety, and (4) health-related rights amidst social distancing. It argues that Bangladesh has largely failed to combat these challenges for several reasons including the lackluster social work practices, which violated the right to health to its citizens secured under the international and national human rights obligations of Bangladesh. The article also reflects on how the negation of healthcare as a human right could have profound implications for social work practices during a health emergency. Starting with a focus on the transformation of the right to health from international to national level and the obligation of Bangladesh towards it, this paper explores these challenges through a viewpoint methodology. It concludes with some recommendations to overcome these challenges, which can be helpful to secure the human right to health in Bangladesh should a parallel situation emerge in the future.