‘Telehealth for all’: capitalising on the power of virtual healthcare for persons with disability in India

Introduction: Virtual health care holds significant potential to advance inclusive healthcare for persons with disabilities in India, supporting the World Health Organization’s goal of Universal Health Coverage. However, individuals with disabilities often face barriers to accessing virtual healthcare due to a lack of disability-inclusive infrastructure, technology, and operational support, which further limits equitable service delivery.(1) This study aimed to investigate the experiences of persons with disabilities and their caregivers regarding virtual healthcare services in India. The focus was on assessing the accessibility, availability, acceptability, and quality (AAAQ) of these services. Methods: Data were collected through 20 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions with persons with vision, hearing, physical, and intellectual disabilities, as well as their caregivers, across geographically diverse regions of India. Participants were recruited using a snowball sampling method, and thematic analysis was applied to identify key patterns and barriers. Results: The findings revealed that while virtual healthcare platforms offered convenience and reduced travel burdens for persons with disability, significant barriers persisted. Challenges included limited accessibility of digital platforms for screen readers, inconsistent availability of sign language interpreters, and insufficient disability-specific training for healthcare providers. Public platforms like eSanjeevani remained underutilized due to low awareness and usability issues. Discussion: This study emphasizes the need for disability-inclusive design and service delivery in virtual healthcare systems. Key recommendations include targeted training for healthcare staff, accessibility audits of virtual platforms, and policy reforms ensuring affordability and awareness of public virtual care services. Strengthening these areas can support equitable access to virtual healthcare.