This is a quick recap of theory of health rights, for healthcare practitioners and policy makers. Includes Information accessibility rights as an important part of health rights.

1. What Are Health Rights?
Overview for healthcare practitioners and policy makers
Dr. Neelesh Bhandari
MBBS, MD
PGP Human Rights
New Delhi, India
edrneelesh@gmail.com
facebook.com/drneelesh

2. • WHO constitution (1948) aims to make
highest attainable standard of health as
one of the fundamental rights of every
human being (without distinction).
• Article 12 of The International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(1966) was the first document to outline
steps which need to be taken to realize
Right to Health.

3. In May 2000, The Committee on
Economic , Social and Cultural
Rights adopted a general
comment (no. 14) on
Right to Health.

5. The General Comment sets out 4 criteria by
which to evaluate the right to health.

6. Availability
Functioning public health and
healthcare facilities, goods and services,
as well as programs, have to be
available in sufficient quantity.
.

7. Accessibility
Health facilities, goods and services have
to be accessible to everyone without
discrimination, within the jurisdiction of
the State party.
Contd.

8. Contd.
Accessibility
Accessibility has four overlapping dimensions:
1. Physical accessibility
2. Information accessibility
3. Economic accessibility
4. Non-Discrimination

9. Contd.
Accessibility
Information accessibility includes the right
to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas concerning health issues.
However, accessibility of information should
not impair the right to have personal health
data treated with confidentiality.

10. Acceptability
Health facilities, goods and services must be
• respectful of medical ethics,
• culturally appropriate,
• sensitive to gender and life-cycle
requirements, as well as being designed to
• respect confidentiality and improve the
health status of those concerned

11. Quality
Health facilities, goods and services
must be scientifically and medically
appropriate and of good quality.

12. Working to improve these criteria are steps
towards realization of our fundamental
Right to Health.

13. Imp. Documents
• General Comment No. 14 (2000) of The
Committee on Economic , Social and Cultural
Rights http://bit.ly/nOliAR
• Article 12 of The International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
http://bit.ly/gq5j9L