The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified political inaction, lack of accountability and funding, and intolerance, discrimination, and stigma as core challenges compromising the right to health globally.
In a message to mark the World Health Day, on Sunday, the WHO urged countries to invest, tackle discrimination and intolerance, and expand equitable access to quality health services.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasised the impact of inaction and injustice on the global failure to deliver on the right to health, stating, “Conflicts are leaving trails of devastation, mental and physical distress, and death.” He also highlighted the violation of the right to breathe clean air due to the burning of fossil fuels, which is driving the climate crisis and causing extreme weather events that threaten health and well-being across the planet.
The WHO noted that populations facing marginalization or vulnerability, such as those living in poverty, displaced individuals, older adults, and people with disabilities, suffer the most. They emphasized that everyone deserves access to quality, timely, and appropriate health services without being subjected to discrimination or financial hardship.
It also highlighted the financial burden of health costs, with about two billion people facing financial hardship due to health costs, a situation that has been worsening for two decades. They also emphasized the need for additional funding globally to scale up primary health care in low- and middle-income countries, stating that progress has shown to be possible where there is political will.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of governments passing and implementing laws, investing, addressing discrimination, and being held accountable by their populations to realize the right to health. He stated, “Realizing the right to health requires governments to pass and implement laws, invest, address discrimination and be held accountable by their populations”.
