2024-04-06 22:30:26
The right to health was sanctioned in 1946, at a United Nations General Assembly. However, more than 70 years later, it remains not fully respected.
Last update: April 6, 2024
According to information from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), every 5 seconds a person dies because of air pollution. This and other realities show that The right to general well-being is violated in many ways. For this reason, World Health Day 2024 is commemorated under the motto «My health, my right».
The objective is to raise awareness about the lack of respect that exists towards populations that do not have access to the minimum rights to have quality of life. Large geographic areas lack drinking water and more than half of the planet’s citizens do not have health coverage.
Without concrete actions, reality will not change. World Health Day 2024 recognizes, above all things, that health is a human right.
Why is World Health Day celebrated?
This day is an annual celebration that It takes place every April 7. It was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1950. The date was chosen to coincide with the commemoration of the founding of the institution, which occurred in 1948.
The goal of World Health Day is to raise awareness about relevant global health issues. To do this, each year a specific topic and motto are chosen.
But it is not only intended to raise awareness among the population about health issues. The WHO also urges governments, organizations and communities to make decisions that become social protection laws.
This year’s theme emphasizes human rights in health. The previous years, at least the last 3, had their focus on the universality of well-being:
- 2023: «Health for all»
- 2022: «Our planet, our health»
- 2021: «Build a more just, equitable and healthy world»
«My health, my right» is this year’s motto: what does it mean?
World Health Day 2024 highlights the importance of recognize health as a fundamental right of every person. However, despite its legal status, it is a right that is frequently violated.
A fact that demonstrates part of the violation is the number of lawsuits that exist for the justice system to authorize certain treatments or medical coverage. According to a analysis of the year 2015courts, judges and lawyers are forced to issue more and more rulings to protect the right to health.
Discrimination is another problem. Homosexual people, for example, encounter a lot of resistance and obstacles to access quality medical care. And the same goes for those who suffer from a disability, whether physical or mental.
The environmental issue is not minor in this context. The most polluted areas of the planet cause disease and alter the right to health of the groups that live in them.
Pakistan is a clear example. In the country, the 80% of its inhabitants cannot access drinking water. And today, almost a third of deaths there are attributed to water pollution.
In summary, «My health, my right» is a motto that once again emphasizes the fact that each person should access the health services necessary to maintain and improve their quality of life. Just as it is also necessary to live in environments that promote well-being, that are not contaminated and that do not cause illness.
What are the health rights that people have?
Between the key messages that the WHO disseminates For World Health Day 2024, there are 4 that explain what people’s fundamental health rights are:
What can governments do to improve the right to health?
The WHO also highlights the importance of governments taking legislative action to protect and promote the right to health. These measures cover a wide range of areas, from financial to environmental, with the aim of improving public health.
Some of the initiatives that States can have are the following:
- Justice: prohibit any form of discrimination, including legislating equal access to health care.
- Agriculture: Laws to eliminate trans fats from foods and reduce the amount of pesticides used on crops are beneficial.
- Environment: Switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy, such as solar, hydroelectric and wind, could reduce air pollution and mitigate climate change.
- Finance: High taxes can be placed on products that are harmful to health, such as tobacco and alcohol. In this way, its price increases and consumption is discouraged. Also promoted are differential rates for sugary productslike carbonated drinks.
- Social development: A large part of the world’s population does not have health coverage, neither public nor private. Laws would have to guarantee access to social protection. This implies insurance for the most vulnerable, as well as unemployment benefits that reduce poverty in households.
- Transport: Although it may seem minor, develop bicycle infrastructure, pedestrianize urban areas and create more green spaces, encourages physical activity and reduces air pollution. In addition, better circulation is guaranteed for everyone, increasing security and equalizing the differences established by different economic incomes.
World Health Day remembers the rights, but also the obligations
The right to health is not only an internationally recognized principle, but also an obligation for governments and for the entire society. Its promotion requires medical, economic and political effort.
The WHO highlights the importance of laws promoting quality of life, from financial to environmental, to ensure that all people have access to safe health care without discrimination. In turn, each person has the responsibility to care about their own health and that of others, attending regular health checks, reducing pollution and leading a healthy lifestyle.
Ultimately, guaranteeing the right to health is a construction for the future, in pursuit of having healthier and fairer societies for future generations. Health is an inalienable human right and an obligation that we must all fulfill and enforce.
On the cover: official image of the PAHO 2024 motto.
All cited sources were reviewed in depth by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, validity and validity. The bibliography in this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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- World Health Organization WHO. (2024). Key messages World Health Day 2024. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2024/key-messages
- Pan American Health Organization PAHO. (2024). World Health Day 2024.
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