Right to Health

International Standard and National Recognition of Right to Health

Right to health and human rights is inextricably linked to each other. The basic concept of human rights is to promote and identify the human prerequisite and well being of the people and to ensure the achievement of those requisite for them.

Modern concept of human rights is more precise to identify commission and the omission that the government should follow for the people. To ensure human rights, the government has to take some affirmative action and to some extent need to abstain from taking negative action. In our perspective, the necessity of abstain from taking negative actions is more needed than to initiate affirmative action. Government interference in every sector is the major reason for absence of good governance in the country.

The concept of human rights is based on the very principle on human dignity as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the word ‘people are born free and equal in dignity and rights’. If the concept is really conceived, promotion of human rights might be implemented.

Based on that UDHR, the rights were universally declared as the common standard of living of the people around the globe. The states are now dedicated and promised to ensure those rights.

Without realizing the dignity of man, the concept of human rights can not be realized. It is the foundation of man on earth. All other idea of freedom, justice, equality, peace and so on are the derivative rights of that concept.  
After the key document on human rights was adopted, several other rights documents followed. To name a few, International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) etc.

All those concerned human rights instruments have recognized right to health as one of the most important human rights. It is related to a man’s physical, mental and social wellbeing in the society. It is not only related to his physical health rather it is related to his all other socio-economic status. To ensure the adequate right to health, socio-economic condition of the people must be considered.  

In every corner of the world, several types of the mechanisms have been undertaken by the concerned states to ensure the peoples’ right to healthy. Every state have incorporated various mechanism in this regard in accordance with the international human rights instruments and their respective statutory laws and policies. The states ensure the promotion of health care facilities for their citizens.

The state has to assess the real necessity of health issues of their citizens. Thereafter, the states need to take adequate measures to ensure health for every citizens of the state. The facilities need to be achieved in a very affordable price, if any, for all its citizenry. The state need to look after the fact that the marginalized citizens are not left out from this facilities.

It the state responsibility to make available the right to health for its people for the wellbeing of the state indeed.